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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23303584">Cherry's Adventures: Home on the Range</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14'>PerkyGoth14</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Home on the Range (2004)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:08:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,624</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23303584</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Atticus, Cherry, Lionel, Mo, and Thor come together to watch a movie one night. However, one movie night becomes one big new adventure into the Wild West as they end up on a farm called Little Patch of Heaven and meet a group of familiar-looking strangers as well as three cows who try to save their farm from being sold and the town from a greedy cattle-rustler named Alameda Slim.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lionel beamed as he sat down onto the couch in Cherry's living room. "Oh boy, this is gonna be GOOD!" he remarked. "An animated Disney film I've never seen before...truly an astounding experience!"</p><p>"Well, you can't go wrong with Disney," Cherry replied. "Most of the time. I always found this movie underrated."</p><p>"Yeah, same here," Atticus agreed. "Though this movie with cowboys and actual cows kinda made me think of The Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa."</p><p>"Whoa!" Lionel asked. "Now THAT sounds neat... I might hafta check it out sometime..."</p><p>"It's basically like Ninja Turtles, except with humanoid cows." explained Thor as Lionel put in the DVD.</p><p>"Heh... Yeah..." Atticus said.</p><p>"I'm not too crazy about it, probably because I'm not a huge fan of the Wild West genre, but I can see why people like Atticus would like it." Cherry told Lionel.</p><p>"I met them once," Atticus smiled. "It was a solo-adventure though, so Cherry, Mo, and Patch stayed back home while I went to see them."</p><p>"Sounds neat," replied Lionel. "But for now, let's get lost in our OWN Wild West adventure!"</p><p>"So I can come too?" Thor asked.</p><p>"Only if you behave yourself!" Cherry told him. "Ease up with the hugging, mm'kay?"</p><p>"...Okay... I'll try..." Thor said after a few moments of silence.</p><p>Lionel pushed the "PLAY" button. "Hey, Patch, you and the rest in or what?" he asked Patch, Furrball, and Two-Tone.</p><p>"Hmm... No offense, but I think I might sit this one out," Patch replied. "Tell me all about it though. Uh... I think I wanna try to see if I can get Furrball and Two-Tone to join The Pound Puppies, or in Furrball's case, The Kennel Kittens."</p><p>"You guys and the Kennel Kittens on good terms now?" Atticus asked.</p><p>"Yeah, we're all friends now," Patch nodded. "I made sure of that."</p><p>"Well, alright, if you say so," Lionel shrugged. "We'll tell you about it when it's over."</p><p>"Sorry, guys, next time, I promise." Patch smiled.</p><p>"Well, okay, Spot," Cherry said. "Doesn't hurt to ask though."</p><p>"Yeah," Patch smiled. "You guys go have fun with the Wild West."</p><p>"Kinda like we did with Fievel that one time." Cherry smirked to Atticus.</p><p>"Yeah, there was that." Atticus remembered.</p><p>"At least I'll get to experience it this time." Lionel replied as the DVD began.</p><p>The others soon sat together as they were about to start a brand new adventure in the Wild West which made Thor unable to help but sing a little song on the way.</p><p>"Out in the land where the men are tough as cactus, Out in the land where the wild, wild west was won, Out in the land of the desperado, If yer as soft as an avocado, Yee-ha! Yer guacamole, son!~" Thor soon sang to himself. "Home, home, this ain't it, pal!, Home, home, home on the range, Home, home, better go git, pal!, You ain't home on the range~"</p><p>A rabbit was soon seen peeking out of his hole, looking at what seemed like rain, until he glanced up to see a drooling coyote looming overhead. The rabbit shot out of his hole, narrowly avoiding getting munched, as the coyote kept running after him.</p><p>"Out in the land where the weak are target practice, Home, home, home on the range, Out in the land where they shoot the mild and meek, Home, home, home on the range~," Thor continued to sing. "Out where the bad are a whole lot badder, If yer the type with a nervous bladder, yip! Yow!, Yer saddle's gonna reek!, Cause you ain't home on the range, Cowboy, yer really up the creek!, Home, home, home on the range, Home, home, home on the range, Home, home, home on the range, Home, home, home on the range~"</p><p>The rabbit soon hid under a cow skull before removing it and had a snake on his head, confusing him before he soon ran off with the snake on his head as a group of cowboys were soon heading out through the desert plains together. The TV began to spark with magical energy once again...and zapped the group into the movie.</p><hr/><p>"Why am I not surprised?" Cherry commented.</p><p>"This is like that sleepover when we met Sly Cooper." Thor said to Atticus.</p><p>"Heh. Yeah." Atticus chuckled from memory.</p><p>"And the time we got sent into Toy Story!" Mo added.</p><p>"I guess getting sent into a movie adventure is nothing new," Cherry commented. "I got sucked into a game once, but it wasn't with Ralph and Vanellope, it was a board game that was called Jumanji."</p><p>"Oh, yeah... That was majorly crazy," Lionel nodded. "Wait, we talking about the original Jumanji film, or its sequel, Welcome 2 the Jungle?"</p><p>"...Yes." Cherry replied as that story didn't seem to exist yet.</p><p>Lionel shrugged. "Works for me." he replied.</p><hr/><p>By the time their discussion had ended, they had found themselves in the Old West, not to mention dressed for the surroundings. They all looked around while adjusting to their new setting. As they walked along, they then passed a tree which had a wanted poster that had a man's picture in it known as Alameda Slim.</p><p>"Gosh... This guy looks as cuddly as a cactus and as charming as an eel." Cherry glanced at the picture.</p><p>"Like a bad banana with a greasy black peel!" Lionel added.</p><hr/><p>Just over the horizon, five people who looked identical to our group were peeking out at them.</p><p>"Whoa... Talk about your coinky-dinks." remarked Lionel's counterpart.</p><p>"Ya think they might be from the city?" Mo's counterpart wondered.</p><p>"This sure is strange." Atticus's counterpart replied.</p><p>"Well, I aims to meet 'em and make nice with 'em!" Thor's counterpart replied, climbing over the rock they were standing behind.</p><p>"Cool it! We don't know 'em, so we better be careful." Atticus's counterpart told him.</p><p>"Well, we can at least try and check em out first, right?" asked Lionel's counterpart. "See if they're good eggs or a bunch a low-down polecats."</p><p>"Hmm... All right, we'll go in for a closer look." Atticus's counterpart replied.</p><p>They soon walked off to their modern day counterpart.</p><p>"If they try anythin' funny though, I'ma make 'em squeal like a piggy." Thor's counterpart smirked.</p><p>Cherry's counterpart just rolled her eyes.</p><hr/><p>The main group soon continued to walk off before running into their Wild Western counterparts and they all ended up on the ground.</p><p>"Guys... Do they usually have giant mirrors in the Wild West?" Cherry asked, rubbing her head.</p><p>"You mean like in a fun-house?" Thor replied. "I don't think so."</p><p>"Then I think we're looking at our counterparts!" said Lionel.</p><p>"Counterparts?" Mo asked as Atticus soon helped her up to her feet.</p><p>"Like the versions of ourselves who exist in this universe, so to speak," Atticus replied. "Granted, they look similar to us, but they probably have different names."</p><p>"Yer new around these parts, huh?" Cherry's counterpart asked.</p><p>"Uh... Yeah... Who are you?" Cherry replied.</p><p>"I'm August." Atticus's counterpart smiled.</p><p>"Fitting." Cherry smirked.</p><p>"I'm Maybelle, but everyone calls me May." Mo's counterpart said.</p><p>"I'm Clementine." Cherry's counterpart said.</p><p>"And folks call me Lucas," Lionel's counterpart tipped his Stetson. "The big lug is muh buddy, Tony."</p><p>"Erm... Nice to meet you guys..." Atticus said to them. "We're, uh, kinda new in town."</p><p>"Really now?" asked Lucas. "Well, then just stick with us. We'll be right pleased to show ya the ropes!"</p><p>"Heh... Great..." Cherry said.</p><p>They soon walked along together to continue on their newest adventure, even if it was odd seeing Wild West versions of themselves.</p><p>"You think Maggie's behaving herself?" May asked August.</p><p>"I hope so... No doubt she's lonesome about now though." August frowned.</p><p>"Specifically since that no-good Alameda Slim came in the night and stole all our cows from under our noses..." Lucas added.</p><hr/><p>The Western adventure group soon took their new friends over to one man who was with his dairy cow.</p><p>"Good day, Mr. Sheriff Sam, sir," August greeted, removing his hat. "Y'all headed off somewhere with Maggie?"</p><p>"Yep, I found a new home for her," The man replied. "A special place they call 'Li'l Patch of Heaven', and it's goodbye to Dixie Ranch."</p><p>The cow looked a little sad about leaving the ranch she had known for her whole life.</p><p>"Well... We'll go with her," Lucas piped up. "Y'know, that way she won't be too bummed over leaving her old home behind."</p><p>"You kids are mighty sweet." The Sheriff smiled to them.</p><p>"We know." The group smiled back.</p><p>"Say, ya got some new friends there with y'all?" The Sheriff asked.</p><p>"Yup... They're family visiting from the city!" Lucas replied.</p><p>"Well, bring 'em along." The Sheriff told them.</p><p>The group soon smiled before coming to Maggie before she soon spoke up once they were all left alone as he went to get ready for the trip.</p><p>"I never thought I'd end up all alone... But I guess it's true... Ya can't go home again..." Maggie sighed sadly about the ones she lost.</p><p>"Well, hey, no matter how bad things get... There's probably someone who's worse off." replied Lucas, pointing to the rabbit, who was running with the snake still trying to eat his head.</p><p>"Hm... Yeah, I guess..." Maggie replied. "At least I still got you guys."</p><p>"So, your name's Maggie, huh?" Cherry asked the cow.</p><p>"...Oh, so now other humans can talk to me?" Maggie asked, rolling her eyes. "What is this?"</p><p>"Call it a... Moo-tual understanding!" Lionel replied.</p><p>"Heh... Good one." Maggie smirked a bit.</p><p>"Seems like that one has yer sense of humor." Clementine teased Lucas.</p><p>Lucas blushed. "Aw, he ain't so bad!" he replied.</p><p>"I just can't believe it... I knew everyone here just last night... And now they're all gone." Maggie frowned.</p><p>"Chin up, Maggie," May comforted. "Maybe you'll make some new friends in this Patch of Heaven place."</p><p>"YEAH!" Lucas replied. "Place sounds really nice, from what I heard!"</p><p>"Maybe you guys are right." Maggie said.</p><hr/><p>Maggie's soon-to-be former owner soon came by out and it was now time to take Maggie to her new home and to leave the old one which really made her feel a bit heartbroken. But since she had some new friends with her, it didn't feel so bad.</p><p>"Hey, Maggie!" August called out. "Take a look at your new home!"</p><p>Maggie soon went to take a look and gasped from that. "Hey! A dairy farm? Now we're talkin'!" she then smiled to her human friends. "Hope it's not one of them fat-free places."</p><p>"Ooh, I got a good feelin' 'bout this place." May beamed.</p><p>"Me too." Mo agreed.</p><p>"See? What'd I tell ya?" asked Lucas.</p><p>They soon came to check out the farm as it was another day for all of them with their farmer who was a kindly old woman known as Pearl Gesner.</p><p>"She sure seems mighty sweet." May smiled about the woman who ran the farm with her little family who were the farm animals.</p><p>"And look, they've got all kinds of farm animals here!" Lionel remarked.</p><hr/><p>"<strong>COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO!</strong>"' A chick squawked, startling the rooster off of the chimney.</p><p>"Hey, that's my boy." The rooster smiled to the two cows after falling off of the chimney.</p><p>"Can hog! Can hog!" Three little pigs cried out to a grumpy looking goat.</p><p>"Don't yell at me." The goat glared at them.</p><p>"Oh. The call of duty. Why don't you handle this one, Grace?" One cow suggested to the other who seemed distracted by the delicious hay. "It's time I gave you more responsibility on the farm."</p><p>"Really?" asked Grace. "Thanks, Mrs. C. I'll make you proud." And she strolled over to the scene.</p><p>The older cow smiled to her as she soon walked off to see the mess.</p><p>"Can hog! Can hog!" The three piglets glared at the goat.</p><p>"Get off my case, little cocktail wieners!" The goat glared at them.</p><p>"Whoa, whoa! I'm sensing a lot of negative energy here." Grace said as she came over</p><p>"That's our can, and Jeb took it." One piglet pouted.</p><p>"And now he says it's <em>his </em>can." Another piglet glared.</p><p>"Now, let's not play the shame and blame game," Grace told them gently. "This is an organic problem, and there's a holistic solution."</p><p>"You don't get this whole farm concept, do you, sister?" The goat scoffed.</p><p>The piglets glanced at each other, until one shouted, "KILL THE GOAT!" and they all attacked him, yanking his beard and grappling for the can.</p><p>Grace frowned as she was unable to do anything about this. The older cow soon came over, grabbing the can with her tail, seeing the squabble.</p><p>"We're sorry, Mrs. Calloway..." The piglets said lowly once they saw her.</p><p>"Piggies, why can't you leave Jeb alone?" Mrs. Calloway sighed to the piglets.</p><p>"Yeah! Why can't you?" Jeb added with a glare.</p><p>"The poor old goat needs peace and quiet."</p><p>"That's right! I need it!"</p><p>"So, run along, and take your can with you." Mrs. Calloway then said, tossing the can far away for the piglets to play with.</p><p>"Yeah, you take that can and-" Jeb added until he realized what just happened. "Hey! Whoa! Come back here, you little bacon bits!"</p><p>"Jeb!" scolded Mrs. Calloway. "Don't you have enough cans of your own?"</p><p>"Nope!" Jeb replied, despite the huge pile of cans behind him.</p><hr/><p>The adventure groups soon made it over to talk with Pearl about keeping Maggie.</p><p>"I'd be happy to take her in, Abner," Pearl smiled to the man. "There's always room for one more."</p><p>Maggie seemed to smile brightly and hopefully from that.</p><p>"Well, thanks, Pearl," Abner replied with a light chuckle. "I gotta warn you, though. She's... She's a bit headstrong."</p><p>"Oh, now, don't you worry, Abner," Pearl smiled as she pet Maggie to comfort her. "I'm sure she'll fit right in."</p><p>"Also, the kids here would like to visit too," Abner then said about August, Clementine, Tony, Lucas, and May. "They mean the world to each other, especially with Maggie."</p><p>"Yup, she's like family t'me," Lucas sniffed. "And considering ah never had one, I care lots about her!"</p><p>"You're all welcome to stay as long as you would like too." Pearl smiled to the youngins.</p><p>"Thank ya kindly, Ms. Pearl," replied Tony. "That's mighty nice of ya."</p><p>"I do my best." Pearl smiled as she let them all come inside with Maggie.</p><p>"So long, Pearl," Abner called out to the woman. "You take care, now."</p><p>A hen soon panicked and ran over to the cows on the farm. "Mrs. Calloway! Oh! Mrs. Calloway! Mrs. Callo-" she then gasped to take a breath once she found them. "Mrs. Calloway, there's a newcomer at the gate."</p><p>"Not now, Audrey." Mrs. Calloway told the hen.</p><p>"But it's a great big-" The hen panicked.</p><p>"Everybody?" Pearl smiled to her farm animals before introducing the new cow on the farm. "This here is Maggie. Now, I want y'all to make her feel right at home." she added.</p><p>"Hey, everybody, it's great to be here in Patch of Heaven!" Maggie grinned. "Don't everyone speak up at once. What is this, the frozen food aisle?"</p><p>Lucas and Lionel snickered a little at that.</p><p>"Eh... Is this thing on?" Maggie asked, using her bell as a microphone.</p><p>"The mike's on, but you're not." Cherry smirked.</p><p>"Easy there, Four Eyes." Maggie glowered.</p><p>"Ahem. Good morning, uh, Margaret," Mrs. Calloway came to greet Maggie. "What a wonderful surprise to find a fellow bovine joining the ranks.</p><p>"Phony." Jeb coughed to himself only to get a can forced onto his muzzle to shut him up.</p><p>"I'm Mrs. Calloway." Mrs. Calloway began.</p><p>"Hi." Grace waved her hoof.</p><p>"And this is Grace."</p><p>"Hi."</p><p>"No applause and trophies here, I'm afraid," Mrs. Calloway explained. "Just the fruits of our good, honest labor."</p><p>"Hi." Grace still waved.</p><p>"Workin' stiffs, huh?" Maggie asked. "I remember those days..."</p><p>"Wow..." said a piglet. "You're the biggest cow I've ever seen!"</p><p>"If you're in charge, I'll take that as a compliment." Maggie smirked.</p><p>"Uh..." The piglet paused.</p><p>"If yer not, then we're gonna set on ya." Tony smirked, going to sit with Maggie.</p><p>"MAAAAAAAWM!" The piglet panicked before running.</p><p>"Hey, we're only kidding!" Maggie laughed, holding onto the piglet before moving her tail behind his ear, bringing out an apple. "Say, what is this you've got jammed up in your ear?"</p><p>"Whoa!" The piglet beamed from that.</p><p>"Here, have an apple, kid," Maggie smiled, putting the apple in his mouth. "Don't go near any luaus, though."</p><p>"You can understand us?" Mrs. Calloway asked the human, well mostly human, group.</p><p>"Yeah, pretty much." Lionel nodded.</p><p>"Interesting..." Mrs. Calloway said. "I'm not sure how that is even possible."</p><p>"The impossible is just possible." Atticus replied.</p><p>"We're just an incredible bunch like that." Lionel nodded.</p><p>"Hey, Mags, I think ya got somethin' in yer ear." May smirked to the cow.</p><p>"Ooh, I think you're right, kiddo," Maggie chuckled, taking a corn on the cob out of her ear. "There it is! This one's for me," She then tossed it up in the air before catching it in her mouth to gulp down, letting out a small burp. "Ah, that was good..."</p><p>"Awesome!" The piglets beamed before running over to the vegetable pile, throwing food at the cow to do her trick again. "Awesome! Do it again! Do it again! Come on, come on! Do it again! Do it again!"</p><p>"Wow! That's a nifty trick!" Lionel exclaimed.</p><p>"Where'd she learn to do that?" Cherry wondered.</p><p>"I taught her." Tony smiled bashfully.</p><p>"Yup. Been mighty proud of it, too!" Lucas replied.</p><p>Maggie soon did her special trick for the piglets with various other vegetables.</p><p>"Maggie's some fun, isn't she?" Grace smiled.</p><p>"Teaching pigs to throw food," Mrs. Calloway sighed from that. "As if they weren't sloppy enough."</p><p>One piglet tossed an ear of corn, and Maggie ran up the wall of a chimney and caught it, landing on Jeb.</p><p>"Heheh, gotcha, goat." Cherry smirked to Jeb.</p><p>Maggie soon let out another burp which made the piglets all burp together at once.</p><p>"Ugh... Stop it." Cherry then groaned from disgust.</p><p>"Sorry." Lionel replied, snapping his fingers and making it stop.</p><p>"Does anyone else hear something?" Atticus asked.</p><p>"Probably not," Cherry said. "What do you hear?"</p><p>"It sounds like galloping." Atticus replied.</p><p>"Okay, who's up for a game of Tin Can Tag?!" Maggie smiled to the piglets, taking one of Jeb's cans with her tail.</p><p>"Hey! That can is a family heirloom." Jeb glared.</p><p>Lionel quickly placed the group to the side, as a horse leapt over the fence.</p><p>"I was right." Atticus smiled.</p><p>"Yep, you were right." Cherry replied.</p><hr/><p>The horse ended up knocking the can into the air, where it bounced off the windmill.</p><p>"Awesome!" exclaimed the piglets.</p><p>"Ooh, tough luck, Mags." May said to the cow.</p><p>"Who's the hotshot?" Maggie glared.</p><p>"Oh, it's Buck." The mother pig beamed.</p><p>"Puh! City slicker." Mrs. Calloway rolled her eyes.</p><p>"Oh! Whoa! Whoa! Dagnabit, Buck! Take it easy," The Sheriff told his horse, trying to calm him down. "This ain't no rodeo."</p><p>"Why, good morning, Sam," Pearl greeted the Sheriff. "Is that ornery horse gettin' away from you again?"</p><p>"Oh, uh, howdy, Pearl," The Sheriff said to the woman before holding out a paper for her. "I came out to bring you another bank notice. This one'll be the last."</p><p>The farm animals soon crowded the two humans as they were talking as this didn't sound like good news.</p><p>"Every time I get a weak harvest, they send out one of those notices," Pearl grumbled. "They'll get their money soon enough."</p><p>"This don't sound good." Tony said to the others.</p><p>"Shh!" August and Clementine shushed him.</p><p>"It's a whole new shootin' match now, Pearl," The Sheriff told the woman as he handed her the paper as this was very serious. "The bank's callin' in everybody's debt. They're losin' money somethin' fierce with all the cattlemen goin' under. I'm tellin' you, if they don't get their money in three days, they're gonna auction off Patch of Heaven."</p><p>"Then we hafta find some way to get the money and save Patch of Heaven!" replied Lucas.</p><p>"But how?" August pondered to himself.</p><p>"What? No... But... They can't take my place," Pearl frowned to the Sheriff. "Why, I've been here through twisters, blizzards. Sam, uh... Sam, this is my home."</p><p>"I'm sorry, Pearl. I'm truly sorry." The Sheriff frowned back, removing his hat.</p><p>"Yeah, well... 'Sorry' just ain't gonna save my farm." Pearl sulked.</p><p>"Well, Buck, I hope you're proud of yourself." Mrs. Calloway glared at the passing horse.</p><p>"As a matter of fact, I am," The horse smirked. "Thank you for asking."</p><p>"Wait a minute..." replied Lionel. "Hey, guys, remember that poster of that Alameda Slim character?"</p><p>"Yeah...?" The others replied.</p><p>"If he's as hated as they say... Maybe that was a wanted poster! And wanted posters offer rewards, right?" asked Lionel. "So then maybe we could track that creep down and collect the reward money!"</p><p>The others soon looked to each other.</p><p>"Yeah!" Tony beamed. "Let's nab that varmint!"</p><p>"Okay, just call us... The Terrific Ten!" remarked Lucas.</p><p>"Well, I think we <em>all </em>know what happens now!" said Jeb.</p><p>"Jeb, don't start!" said Mrs. Calloway.</p><p>"Now we all get eaten!" Jeb replied.</p><p>"Jeb!" reprimanded Mrs. Calloway.</p><p>"What? What? You don't think people in town eat animals?" asked the goat.</p><p>Audrey scoffed. "But who would eat a chicken?" she asked, snickering.</p><p>"I would." said Lionel.</p><p>"So would I." said Lucas.</p><p>"Come on, guys. There must be something we can do!" said Maggie.</p><p>"What? What could we do?" asked Audrey.</p><p>"This just isn't fair..." sighed Ollie the pig.</p><p>Maggie's eyes lit up. "Fair! Good call, Curly!" she exclaimed.</p><p>"Ollie," the pig corrected.</p><p>"Right. Ollie." nodded Maggie.</p><p>"Uh...what is?" the pig asked.</p><p>"Listen," said Maggie. "What would you say if I told you...that you could win big money &amp; see beautiful downtown Chugwater if you went to the County Fair?"</p><p>Lucas' hat shot off his head like the cap from a soda bottle. "The County Fair? OH, BOY!" he exclaimed giddily. "Can we go? Can we? Can we? Can we? Can we? <strong>PLEEEEEEAAAAAASSSSEEEE?!</strong>"</p><p>"Thank you for your input, but..." started Mrs. Calloway.</p><p>"C'MON! Let the new cow talk!" shouted a duck.</p><p>"New cow! New cow! New cow!" chanted the other animals.</p><p>"Come on, Mrs. C. You've got a real good-lookin' bunch here," urged Maggie. "I see some real potential!"</p><p>"Aw, shucks," grinned the duck.</p><p>"Now, the fair is two weeks away. I say we go to town, butter up that sheriff's horse, and get him to give us more time!" explained Maggie as Grace trotted over to her.</p><p>"What are we waitin' for, Maggie? Let's go!" she replied.</p><p>"YIPPEE!" Lucas cheered. "We're a-goin' to the county fair~!"</p><p>"That's right," Maggie nodded before looking to the older cow. "What do you say, Callloway?"</p><p>"Bah! Absolutely not," Mrs. Calloway huffed. "I will not abandon Pearl in her hour of need for such a ridiculous plan. She would be devastated if she found us missing. As far as I'm concerned, that's not an option."</p><p>"All right. Suit yourself," Maggie huffed as she went to walk off with Grace and the others. "Come on, guys. We've got a farm to save."</p><p>Grace glanced back and soon went to follow Maggie and the others. "Oh, you'll have to excuse her," she then told the others about Mrs. Calloway's decline in joining their adventure. "She's just a little tense."</p><p>"Tense," Maggie snorted. "What's her specialty, sour cream?"</p><p>Lionel snorted at that.</p><p>"I guess we'll just hafta go on without her." Clementine shrugged.</p><p>"Sure looks it." August agreed with a nod.</p><p>"That's a darn shame." May pouted.</p><p>"Going to town," Mrs. Calloway scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Of all the ill-conceived I-"</p><p>There was then chirping heard which made Mrs. Calloway look down to see four chicks looking up at her in silence.</p><p>"Now, don't look at me so crossly. I know what you're going to say," Mrs. Calloway said to the chicks. "That the others will need someone with my eye for detail to keep them on the straight and narrow."</p><p>The chicks continued to stare at her in silence.</p><p>"Say no more. I'll go," Mrs. Calloway told them as she soon went to leave the farm as well. "Now, tut tut. No mushy goodbyes, my little ones. You know how l get about overly emotional displays," she then called out to the others on her way out. "Ahem. Ladies? Gentlemen?"</p><hr/><p>"Mm?" Lucas asked. "Looks like you changed yer mind."</p><p>"Erm... Uh... I'd rather not talk about it." Mrs. Calloway replied.</p><p>"It's a chick thing." Grace told the others.</p><p>The chicks soon high-fived each other in success as Mrs. Calloway followed the others out to adventure. The farm animals soon called out goodbyes and good luck as they left the farm.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Alright...looks like we're a-headin' on outta here!" Lucas whooped. "YEE-HAW!"</p><p>"Rawhide!" Tony added with a laugh.</p><p>"I think you guys and us are gonna get along just fine." Thor chuckled to their Wild West counterparts.</p><p>"Same here!" August beamed.</p><p>"Don't worry, Maggie, we'll help ya," Clementine said. "It's been that way for a long time now."</p><p>"You guys are close with Maggie, huh?" Atticus asked the Wild West group.</p><p>"Of course," August smiled. "We're best friends."</p><p>"Yup," Lucas replied. "Never would've met this bunch if it weren't fer Maggs. She's like a sister t'me!"</p><p>"That sounds like quite the story." Mo said to the group.</p><p>"Oh, it is!" Lucas nodded. "Maggs was how I met Clementime...and she introduced me to th' others!"</p><p>"Are we gonna see a flashback?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"It might be a good idea." Atticus replied.</p><p>Cherry shrugged and soon let it happen.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Flashback</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Abner was seen cleaning up with Lucas's help around the barnyard of Dixie Ranch.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Lucas, how would ya feel if we had some extra help 'round these parts?" Abner asked the boy who he saw as a metaphorical son.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Extra help?" asked Lucas. "Well... I reckon that'd be awful nice!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I was hopin' ya'd say that," Abner smiled, feeling glad that he was accepting of the extra help. "I sent out letters throughout town to ask people for helpin' us. I just thought maybe we could use some with it bein' the two of us."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Well... Having some new faces 'round here oughta liven things up!" Lucas beamed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"That's a good boy," Abner chuckled. "Someone should be comin' eventually."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Maggie began to graze with her friends which were plenty of bulls as she was the only cow.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"We're gonna have some new buddies!" Lucas told Maggie.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Well, you and Abner need all the help you can get." Maggie said as she began to eat the hay given to her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"We sure do." Lucas replied.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Meanwhile...</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Helpin' out on the Dixon Ranch..." Clementine said, reading aloud from a letter she got in the mail. "Well... I guess I could do that with some of my pals..." she then turned to her friends who had come over. "So, ya up for it?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Ya know my answer!" August smiled. "I love tough work and helpin' those in need!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Me too!" Tony added.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'm in," May smiled. "This girl ain't afraid to get down and dirty."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Then let's go for it!" Clementine replied.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The group soon packed up their things to leave.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Tony? I need you." Clementine called.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tony soon walked in, leaning against the wall in a sassy way. "What can I do for you, my darling Clementine?" he then asked, trying to sound playfully snobby.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Y'all can get yer bottom up and on this case filled with our stuff!" Clementine told him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Of course!" Tony then smiled and ran over before jumping down onto the case to slam it shut and clicked it shut once he weighed the top down over on it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Alright gang, let's head 'em up and move it out!" August called to the others. "We're burnin' daylight!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tony giggled as he soon got off of the case and walked off with them to go to the place called Dixon Ranch.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>After several hours, they eventually arrived, while Lucas was snoozing on a pile of hay.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hey... Hey, buddy, wake up!" Clementine called out to Lucas as she walked up to him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With a snort, Lucas woke up, only to see Clementine looking at him. "Whoa... Am I still asleep?" he asked curiously as his face went red.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Uh... I dun think so." Clementine said to him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hey, wake up!" Maggie told Lucas. "Oh... You're up. We got company, kid."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lucas got up. "Oh! Y-You must be the new help. Name's Lucas. Pleased t'meetcha, purty lady." he grinned sheepishly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Heh... Dunno 'bout being purty." Clementine replied.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Maggie smirked between the two as she sensed a connection.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Aw, c'mon, you definitely are!" Lucas replied. "You'd hafta be blind not to see it!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The others soon came over to see Clementine and Lucas.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Howdy," August smiled. "I'm August and this is my l'il Mayflower, Maybelle, also known as May."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"August." May blushed from being called a mayflower.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Nice t'meet you both!" Lucas tipped his hat. "I'm Lucas, and that fine bovine over there is my best friend, Maggie!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Well, I'm Clementine." Clementine said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hi." Tony smiled.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"This is Tony." Clementine then said.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yer best friend is a cow?" Tony then asked as he looked up and down to Maggie. "She's a beaut."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Ah, not to brag... Even if I'm a professional show cow." Maggie smiled bashfully.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Nice t'meetcha all!" Lucas beamed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Likewise," August said. "So, do ya live here together?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Pretty much," Maggie replied. "Lucas usually helps out Abner, but it ain't easy with just the two of 'em, so seeing you guys around should help out plenty."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lucas nodded. "It's gonna be nice having some new friends around..." he blushed at Clementine. "'Specially you..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Clementine seemed oblivious towards Lucas's affections so far.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>And so, they met Abner, and it began. The group would stay with Abner and Lucas while helping out on the farm which mostly had bulls on it except for Maggie of course, and they soon saw many prizes that Maggie had won, showing she was amazing as she said she was.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"She's plenty amazin', ain't she?" smiled Lucas. "Helped raise 'er since she was a calf!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Maggie smiled and nodded as that was true.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Well, congratulations," August smiled back to them. "That sounds mighty amazin'. Maybe we can all be friends."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"That would be nice." Maggie replied.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Then it's settled!" Lucas shook August and May's hands, gave Tony a hug, and kissed Clementine's hand. "Friends, and maybe more!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tony looked over from the hand kissing, a bit unsure about that while August and May simply smiled to Lucas.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>End of Flashback</strong>
</p><hr/><p>"So that's how it happened," Atticus smiled. "Sounds like a nice friendship adventure."</p><p>"And the tale keeps on going to this day," Lucas replied. "May, Tony, and August are still mah best human hombres, and I still got it bad fer m'darlin' Clementine!"</p><p>"Interesting." Atticus smiled.</p><hr/><p>After a while of traveling, Grace began to sing, but it sounded a bit annoyingly painful.</p><p>"She better hurry up around that mountain, 'cuz I cannot take this much longer." Maggie grumbled.</p><p>"Maggie, may I be frank?" Mrs. Calloway asked.</p><p>"Only if you let me wear the hat." Maggie smirked, nudging up against her.</p><p>"Ahem. Lowbrow remarks may work for you, but we prefer the gentle approach." Mrs. Calloway soon said.</p><p>"Well, she better stick a sock in it soon," said Maggie. "The vultures are beginning to circle."</p><p>Overhead, a pair of turkey vultures were hovering about in circles.</p><p>"Hey!" called Lucas. "She's not dying!"</p><p>The vultures stopped.</p><p>"You sure?" One asked. "We could wait around!"</p><p>Grace continued to sing her little song, oblivious to the world around her.</p><p>"We'll keep you posted!" Maggie called to the vultures.</p><p>"False alarm, Clem!" The vulture told his friend.</p><p>"Roger dodger, out like the wind!" The other vulture replied before they flew off together.</p><p>"Hey, guys, how do we find the sheriff's office when we get into town?" Grace soon asked as she walked over to them.</p><p>"Elementary, my dear Grace," Atticus stated in his detective voice. "If we find that horse, we find the sheriff."</p><p>"That horse is a legend in his own mind..." Mrs. Calloway remarked as they kept on walking.</p><p>The others then shared a laugh to that as they soon walked off together into town. Tony looked to Lucas and Clementine before pouting.</p><p>"Aw, chin up, buddy," Atticus smiled. "Maybe you'll meet a nice... Uh... Filly uptown!"</p><p>"Yeah!" Mo replied. "Everyone's got a special someone out there; just gotta keep looking!"</p><p>"Yeah... You're right..." Tony smiled.</p><p>"Believe me, buddy, I know how ya feel." Thor replied before winking to Lionel.</p><p>Lionel winked back and gave a thumb's-up. They soon continued their journey into town.</p><hr/><p>We are then shown a scene that looks like it came from a cliché Wild West flick as Buck the Horse was shown to be karate fighting against evil cowboys like he was awesomely talented which had to be too good to be true, and it was.</p><p>"Buck. Earth to Buck? Buck!" A voice called as Buck showed some karate moves until he looked around, seeing he was by the sheriff's office with an old dog in front of him, showing a Tic-Tac-Toe game in ground. "It's your move."</p><p>Buck gasped and looked around, seeing that he was only dreaming. "Ohh... Great."</p><p>"You were sleep-fighting again," The dog said to him. "Almost threw a shoe. You've been doin' that ever since the Sheriff's niece went missing."</p><p>"Sorry, it just feels like all the other horses are out there, fightin' bad guys an' takin' names!" explained Buck. He whipped his reigns around a pole, but ended up pulling himself towards it and klonking himself in the head. "Who put that there?"</p><p>"Oh, Buck, this ain't no Dodge City, but we get our share of excitement, and I'm sure l'il Zylphia will be back home before we know it." The dog said, scratching himself.</p><p>"Hey, sheriff! Been waitin' a long time to give you this!" A booming voice announced, waking up the Sheriff instantly, making look up and around and saw that he had company. "Telegram!"</p><p>"Oh, howdy, Morse," The Sheriff smiled curiously. "What you got there?"</p><p>"Hmm.. <em>'Got Evil Eye Joe'</em>. Stop," The man began to read aloud. "<em>'Bringing him today'</em>. Stop.<em> 'Have money ready. No sign of your niece though, but I'll keep tryin'.' Signed, Rico'</em>."</p><p>"Ha! Oh, yeah! Rico caught another one already." The Sheriff remarked. "Might as well give him the key to my safe."</p><p>Buck grinned. "You hear that, Rusty? Rico's comin'!" he exclaimed.</p><p>"Yeah, Rico. I'm old. I ain't deaf." said Rusty.</p><p>"Boy, wouldn't that be the life?" asked Buck. "Ridin' with Rico, cleanin' up the west. Kickin' bad-guy behind! Whoo! Wah-yah! Watch out, sucker!" he made more karate noises.</p><p>The Tic-Tac-Toe game was shown to be ruined which frustrated Rusty as he lay on the ground while Buck continued to have his own little fun.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, the others were shown to be in town.</p><p>"All right, guys, we're goin' in." Maggie told the others as they went into town.</p><p>Grace gasped once she realized something. "Look! There's no fences. What keeps the people from roaming?" she then asked.</p><p>"They appear to be domesticated," Mrs. Calloway said before seeing the people going about their normal business. "It doesn't feel dangerous at all."</p><p>"It's perfectly safe," Maggie reassured. "Quiet as a farm at milkin' time."</p><p>Just then, two kids set off a firecracker.</p><p>"What was that?!" asked Mrs. Calloway. "It's a gunfight!"</p><p>All over, people were doing things that seemed to spook the cows.</p><p>"Hit the dirt!" yelped Maggie.</p><p>"Who LIVES like this?!" asked Mrs. Calloway as the cows, and their friends ran into an alleyway.</p><p>"Hey, calm down!" Cherry told them. "It's not a gunfight!"</p><p>"Look, there's a star on that door!" Mrs. Calloway pointed out as she ran with the other cows.</p><p>"That must be the sheriff's office!" Maggie guessed as they ran in there.</p><p>The two groups soon ran after the cows, but soon stopped.</p><p>"Dang... They went into the saloon." Atticus realized.</p><p>"That's gonna make for quite a bushel of confusion..." Lucas replied.</p><p>"Should we go in after them?" Thor asked.</p><p>"I dunno if that's a good idea." Cherry said nervously.</p><p>"Well, we gotta keep them outta trouble," Lionel replied. "We'd do the same for any one of us."</p><p>Lucas sniffled. "Aw, gee, fella...you're a true pack of pals, that's fer certain!" he smiled.</p><p>"We try." Lionel smiled back.</p><p>"Come on, let's go." Cherry then said.</p><p>They soon came in through the door where there were some show girls singing for the patrons, but their singing wasn't exactly exciting or engaging.</p><hr/><p>Eventually, the three cows made it in which startled the show girls instantly and vice versa.</p><p>"<strong>GET THOSE COWS OFF THE STAGE!</strong>" The barmaid yelled out.</p><p>The show girls growled like pit bulls.</p><p>"Maybe we came at a bad time?" asked Grace.</p><p>"Chaaaarge!" The show girls called out and ran towards their intruders.</p><p>Mrs. Calloway soon ran off as Maggie soon ran up to one of the show girls and butted against her.</p><p>Lucas grabbed her, spun her like a wrestler, and tossed her aside. "Keep away from my pal!" he snapped.</p><p>"I see that cow really means a lot to him." Cherry then said.</p><p>"Why, sure!" Clementine replied. "Those two are tighter than bark on a tree."</p><p>Mrs. Calloway yelped as she stepped into a spittoon and went sliding across the floor before crashing into a table which made two cowboys laugh.</p><p>"How dare you?" A show girl glared as she chased after Grace.</p><p>The show girl that Lucas handled soon went flying down the bar table and ran into one cowboy as a wig slid off, showing she was actually a man.</p><p>"Daddy?" The man who caught him asked.</p><p>"Son!" The other man replied.</p><p>"Okay... Awkward..." said Mo.</p><p>Mrs. Calloway soon opened her mouth to find a pair of golden dentures inside before spitting them out. A guy was shown to be drinking his beer until he got hit by the dentures that then landed in another guy's beer.</p><p>"I say..." The man mumbled only to get hit by the man who got hit.</p><p>"That does it!" The barmaid glared and soon threw out the three cows. "Hoof it on out of here, ladies! Go on!"</p><p>"Oh, come back!" A guy cried out as he came out to them only to be dragged back inside by the barmaid. "That was the best dang show we ever had!"</p><p>"THAT... Was a close one," said Lucas.</p><p>"Is everyone okay?" asked August.</p><p>"Yeah, we're good," Cherry said. "At least that wasn't as chaotic as I thought it would be."</p><p>"And it was mercifully short!" Lucas added.</p><p>Grace groaned as she looked a bit dizzy. "What kind of sheriff's office is that?" she then asked.</p><p>"Dancing girls, gambling... Ha!" Mrs. Calloway huffed from the water trough. "How does he ever get any work done?"</p><p>"If that's the sheriff's office, this town rocks." Maggie laughed.</p><p>"I don't think that was the sheriff's office." Lucas replied.</p><p>"It wasn't, it was a saloon." Cherry replied.</p><p>"Oh, man..." Thor said.</p><p>"It wasn't that bad, Thor," Cherry said. "I mean, sure, we met a drag queen in a Disney movie, but-"</p><p>"No, not that." Thor said, pointing over to a horse who walked by.</p><p>"Well, if it isn't three maids a-milkin'?" Buck smirked to the cows. "You girls a little far from home, aren't ya?"</p><p>"So what if we <em>are</em>?" Lucas asked.</p><p>"Well, if it isn't The Phony Express," Clementine glared before taking out the form that Pearl was given, putting it in front of the horse and dog. "We want a word with you about this."</p><p>"What's that?" Buck asked.</p><p>"What is that?" Rusty repeated.</p><p>"I believe you left this on our farm." Maggie replied.</p><p>"Wai-whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a minute," Buck said to them. "The place went bankrupt. Your farm is history."</p><p>"Don't you heifers get it?" Rusty added before going off with Buck.</p><p>"That's why we need a little more time!" Lucas explained. "We're gonna go to the fair and get the money to save the farm!"</p><p>"Yeah! We'll make 60 bucks! At least!" Maggie added.</p><p>"Ah-ah-ah. You got three days to pay or get on your way," Buck smirked. "And 60 bucks don't cut it."</p><p>"Looks like you need about... Hmm, I'd say..." Rusty said before sniffing the paper as that seemed to help him count up how much money they needed. "750 of 'em."</p><p>"But, Maggie, where are we gonna get all that money?" Grace wondered.</p><p>"Well, maybe Maggie can just pull it out of her ear." Mrs. Calloway smirked.</p><p>"Ah toldja, we got an idea if the fair doesn't work out!" Lucas replied.</p><p>"Always have plans no matter what might happen." Tony added out of excitement.</p><p>"Yup!" Lucas nodded to his friend.</p><p>Suddenly, the sky turned dark.</p><p>"Wuh-oh..." Clementine said. "Must be a storm comin'. I can always tell."</p><p>"No, it's not a storm," Buck smiled out of excitement. "It's Rico."</p><p>"Rico?" The others asked.</p><hr/><p>As the sky got dark, everyone could tell it was about a guy named Rico who had a big reputation in this town.</p><p>"This Rico must be a pretty big fella in this town." Lucas remarked.</p><p>"Kid, you have no idea." Buck smirked as a mysterious man soon came into town.</p><p>A bug soon flew by the mysterious stranger until he shushed it, making it fly away.</p><p>"Don't you know a hero when you see one, huh?" Buck glared before beaming to the mysterious man who approached the Sheriff. "That's Rico: the best dang bounty hunter this side of the Pecos."</p><p>"Cool..." August and Atticus whispered.</p><p>"Interesting." replied Lionel and Lucas.</p><p>"This feels eerie..." Cherry commented about the doubles.</p><p>"Just go with it." Mo suggested.</p><p>"Well, I dunno if I can even trust him." Clementine said, referring to Rico.</p><p>"I could guess from here to tomorrow, but I don't know how you do it, Rico." The Sheriff smiled as Rico soon tossed over his latest victim.</p><p>"Where's my money?" Rico growled.</p><p>"Well, all right, I got it right here for you." The Sheriff smiled as he paid the bounty hunter.</p><p>"Hey, they're giving away free money!" Maggie smiled to the others as she came over.</p><p>"Oh! Maggie!" Mrs. Calloway groaned and rolled her eyes.</p><p>"Really, Maggs?" asked Lucas. "Then let's help ourselves!"</p><p>"This guys aren't too bright, are they?" Cherry mumbled to herself.</p><p>"Ah, they're okay," Lionel replied. "They just don't get how some stuff works."</p><p>"Hm." Cherry let out a small snort.</p><p>"So, who else is out there?" Rico asked the Sheriff.</p><p>"The only varmint left is that low-down, good-for-nothin' Alameda Slim," The Sheriff said, taking the wanted poster. "Cattle rustler. I betcha he took my darlin' little honeysuckle.</p><p>Rico then took the poster away from him before asking, "What's the bounty?"</p><p>"$750." The Sheriff replied.</p><p>"What'd I tell ya?" asked Lionel to Lucas. "Us Tee-riffic 10 are gonna track down that no-good cattle jacker and claim the bounty!"</p><p>"Boy howdy!" Lucas beamed in response.</p><p>"I am deeply unsure about this." Mrs. Calloway remarked.</p><p>"Oh, wake up and smell the alfalfa!" Maggie smiled. "It's perfect!"</p><p>"I'm gonna need a fresh horse." Rico told the Sheriff.</p><p>Buck gasped to that like a fanboy.</p><p>"Hmm... A horse. A horse. Let me think," The Sheriff replied while Buck tried to show off what he could do so that Rico would take him along for the ride. "I reckon you'd want a fast horse, huh? Real fast? 'Course, he'd also have to be able to go for days without food or drink, stealthy, sure-footed in any terrain. Well, huh..."</p><p>"What about that horse?" Rico suggested.</p><p>The Sheriff chuckled as he held onto his horse. "What, you mean Buck here? Boy, I don't know. Buck's fast, all right, but he's kind of a handful."</p><p>"He'll do." Rico said as he put his saddle onto the horse.</p><p>"Well, suit yourself." The Sheriff allowed.</p><p>"Hey, Rusty! Rico's saddle!" Buck squeaked out of excitement. "I'm wearing Rico's saddle! I'm wearing Rico's saddle!"</p><p>"Great," Rusty rolled his eyes, walking away from the horse. "I'll leave you two alone."</p><p>"He's bein' a might ridiculous, ain't he?" asked Lucas. Lionel nodded in agreement.</p><p>Maggie's eyes lit up. "I got it! Why don't we go nab that Alameda Slim and use the reward money to save the farm?" she asked.</p><p>"Oh, that IS a sensible idea," replied Mrs. Calloway sarcastically.</p><p>"I knew you'd love it!" Maggie beamed. "And the others are gonna love it, too!"</p><p>"Talk about a Crazy Horse." Cherry said, referring to Buck, acting like a fanboy.</p><p>Thor soon laughed out loud from that. "Crazy Horse! That's a good one, Cherry!" he then slapped her back while laughing.</p><p>Cherry felt a bit stiff from that, shaking away some pain, though she wasn't fully mad as she knew that he didn't mean to hurt her.</p><p>"No, no, NO." Mrs. Calloway protested. "There is no way in Heaven or Earth that cows and children can catch an outlaw."</p><p>"She has a point," Cherry said in a bit of a strained voice before taking a breath. "Ahh... Much better."</p><p>"Look, all we've got to do is follow this chuck wagon to a cattle drive," Maggie told her before she soon found some vegetables behind the wagon and began to eat them, talking with her mouth full which splattered food everywhere. "And then, you see, we let the bad guys come to us."</p><p>Mrs. Calloway groaned as some food got in her face before glaring. "We've no reason to believe this chuck wagon is heading off to a cattle drive."</p><p>"Hey, Tommy!" A passing donkey smiled to the longhorn steer up front. "Have fun on that cattle drive!"</p><p>"All right, then," The steer replied as he got into position. "Mm-hmm."</p><p>"Your evidence, clear as day," replied Lucas. "Need we say more?"</p><p>"I think it IS headed toward a cattle drive." Grace whispered.</p><p>"Duh!" Thor said as even he could see that.</p><p>"Shh... We are not following this wagon, and that is final." Mrs. Calloway told them.</p><p>"Aw, come on, Calloway!" Maggie said, nudging her. "It'll be fun!"</p><p>"Yeah!" replied Lucas. "Besides, we aren't exactly flush with options! This could be just what we need to nab Slim but good!"</p><p>Mrs. Calloway looked annoyed with being nudged.</p><p>"It's the best we got besides that state fair plan," Clementine said before looking to Maggie. "Okay, Mags, y'all best cut it out."</p><p>"I'm just havin' fun." Maggie smirked.</p><p>"That's fair," Lionel shrugged. "Now all aboard who's goin' aboard."</p><p>"How're we gonna get a ride though?" Cherry wondered.</p><p>"Well..." Lionel cracked his knuckles. "One doesn't need to GET a ride when he can just MAKE rides for himself and his friends."</p><p>"All right, thrill me, Magic Man." Cherry smirked a bit playfully.</p><p>"But of course, milady!" Lionel smiled, before putting out his hands and shooting out 10 magical blasts, which formed into hovercrafts. "TA-DA! The big red button on the dashboard turns them into rocket horses!" he added.</p><p>The Wild West adventure group looked a bit wide-eyed and jaw-dropped.</p><p>"You'll get used to that." Thor smiled to their Wild West counterparts.</p><p>"I reckon we'll have lots of time to..." Lucas replied. "Anyways...climb aboard!"</p><p>The others looked to each other and they soon came to join the ride.</p><p>"Come on, girls!" Cherry told the cows. "The sooner you get on, the sooner we can save Patch of Heaven!"</p><p>"Ah, what the heck?" Maggie shrugged. "Can't be worse than hoofin' it. Make room, Lukey-boy, I'm a-comin' aboard!"</p><p>The others scootched over. Mrs. Calloway sighed and shook her head.</p><p>"Let's go, Mrs. Calloway." Grace smiled to the older cow.</p><p>With a sigh, Mrs. Calloway climbed aboard.</p><p>"Now what?" Grace asked.</p><p>"We follow that chuck wagon." Atticus suggested.</p><p>"Whenever it goes... I guess..." Cherry said as it seemed to be taking a while.</p><hr/><p>Eventually, the Sherrif came out, tied the cows' ropes to the back of the wagon, and told the driver to get rolling.</p><p>"{Wow! Free cows? What a country!}" exclaimed the driver as he got up front, and started the bull walking.</p><p>Buck seemed to laugh at them as he was on his way out with Rico to a different direction. "Hasta la vista, heifers!"</p><p>"Not exactly what I had in mind, but this'll work." Maggie smiled to the others.</p><p>"At least it's a way to get that fat idiot, wherever he might be." Cherry narrowed her eyes.</p><p>"Adios, Buck," The Sheriff told his horse as he soon left. "Take care of Rico now."</p><p>"And so, the Teriffic Ten begins their daring journey to bring the evil Alameda Slim to justice!" Lucas exclaimed triumphantly, pulling a guitar out of nowhere.</p><p>"Are you gonna use a country singer accent?" Cherry asked a little sickly.</p><p>"Naw, course not!" Lucas replied. "I'm not gonna do that to my friends. But sometimes practicing my guitar helps me think..."</p><p>"Well, okay then." Cherry replied.</p><p>"Carry on, Lucas." Clementine smiled to him.</p><p>Lucas blushed. "Aw, shucks, Clementine; y'always give me unexpected inspiration... A-HYUK!" he hiccuped. "Sorry..."</p><p>"Hm..." Clementine hid a small smirk to that. "I do my best."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Maggie looked quite tortured from the return of Grace's singing.</p><p>{"Ugh, no wonder they were free!"} The driver groaned to himself.</p><p>"I can't stand the singing anymore!" Cherry glared as she shot up. "It's time to shut her up!"</p><p>"No, Cherry, you shouldn't." Thor frowned as he soon grabbed her to hold her back.</p><p>"He's right," Lucas replied, ceasing his strumming. "I'm puttin' my guitar away." And he put his guitar back into the hovercar compartment with a sigh.</p><p>Cherry grunted and struggled. "Thor, you can let go now." She then said, annoyed.</p><p>"I just wanna make sure you don't hurt Grace." Thor said as he bear hugged her.</p><p>"I'm not going to hurt Grace." Cherry glared.</p><p>"Grace...darling...could you do us a favor and...BE QUIET?!" Lionel boomed.</p><p>"Huh? Oh, okay." Grace replied.</p><p>"That was all it took?" Cherry face-palmed.</p><p>Thor soon let her down, dropping her.</p><p>"Ah!" Cherry yelped before falling.</p><p>Lionel pulled Cherry back onto her hovercar. They soon began to pass by some farmland as there were voices heard from some humans.</p><p>"Sold!" A voice called out.</p><p>"What was that?" Grace asked.</p><p>"It's a farm auction, guys." Maggie replied.</p><p>"That's the last of the furniture, next to be auctioned is this piece of real property!" The guy exclaimed. "Known formerly as the Dixon Farm!"</p><p>Lucas sighed, and Maggie looked down with a sad glance.</p><p>"No..." August, May, and Clementine whispered in dismay.</p><p>Grace saw a stall which had prizes all over it like gold medals and blue ribbons. "What's going to happen to the cow who lived there?" she then wondered.</p><p>"She'll be okay." Maggie said through depression.</p><p>"How do you know?" Grace asked.</p><p>"You're lookin' at her." Maggie frowned.</p><p>"This was your farm?" asked Grace.</p><p>Maggie and Lucas nodded. "We had, like, a family too, ya know." replied Maggie.</p><p>"What happened?" asked Mo.</p><p>"Alameda Slim happened..." said Lucas, in a bitter, dark tone.</p><p>The others frowned in memory, hearing Slim's laughter in their heads as he soon took away the bulls while they were sleeping while Maggie was the only one spared from the nabbing.</p><p>"I could've gotten him, ya guys... If only I had woken up in time... It's my fault." August frowned.</p><p>"No, it's not." May frowned softly to him.</p><p>"I'm gonna find that no-goodnik Alameda... And when Ah do..." Lucas growled, spinning his guitar in the air. "HE'LL WISH HE'D NEVER SET FOOT HERE!" he angrily smashed a catcus with the guitar. KA-BONNNG!</p><p>"...Did that <em>really</em> just happen?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"I believe they call him El Kabong." Tony smiled obliviously.</p><p>Lucas angrily gripped the handle of his guitar as he kept on seething with rage. "It's not fair...we were all happy...and that polecat bastard had to go and ruin it all for us...!"</p><p>"We'll get him, I know we will," May told them. "I promise ya guys. Someday, somehow, we're gonna nab that varmint, and buck him into the next county!"</p><p>"Yeah!" The group cheered in response, as Lucas sighed, calming down.</p><p>"...Ah suppose yer right," he said. "We can all git him together."</p><p>"Together!" May told him. "We're gonna make him sorry he ever did cross a bunch of kids!"</p><p>"Ya mess with the bull, ya get the snot!" Tony added.</p><p>"Horns." Clementine told him.</p><p>"Those too!" Tony replied.</p><hr/><p>Eventually, they stopped and set up camp in a field with a herd of bulls.</p><p>"Cattle drive, told ya!" Maggie told the others. "You guys all owe me a dollar."</p><p>"Step lightly, girls," Mrs. Calloway warned Maggie and Grace. "The male of the species can be extremely hostile."</p><p>"Mrs. Calloway's got a point," Lucas replied. "These bulls probably haven't seen a cow in ages, and most likely think with what's between their legs instead of what's between their ears."</p><p>Tony looked puzzled before thinking about it. "Ohh! You mean-"</p><p>Clementine covered his mouth before looking into the fourth wall. "A FAMILY picture~"</p><p>"Right, sure," Lucas replied. "Point is, these bulls are mighty horny, and I don't mean the things on their heads."</p><p>"Ooh... Right... Gotcha." Tony then said with a bit of a chuckle.</p><p>The bulls soon woke up and began to look excited as they saw Grace, Maggie, and Mrs. Calloway.</p><p>"Oh, hey, how's it going?" Grace smiled politely. "Oh, hello. Let me guess. You're a Taurus."</p><p>"Look, just keep moving and avoid eye contact." Mrs. Calloway advised.</p><p>"I think we're a little late on that." Clementine replied.</p><p>"Pardon me," said one bull. "But what are three lovely ladies like you..."</p><p>"Doin' on a drive like this?" asked another bull.</p><p>"Just ignore them..." advised Mrs. Calloway. "And perhaps they'll go away."</p><p>"My mom says that about my little sister whenever she's bugging me." Thor replied.</p><p>"Oh, they seem like nice guys," Grace told the group. "Maybe they can help us."</p><p>"Why, sure we can help you." The first bull smirked.</p><p>"Maybe we can help each other." The second bull added.</p><p>"Look, Lover Bull, we're here strictly on business." Cherry glared.</p><p>"Ooh, sounds pretty exciting." The first bull replied.</p><p>"What kind of business?" The second bull added.</p><p>"We're looking for a cattle rustler named Alameda Slim." Grace smiled nonchalantly.</p><p>"Grace! Shh!" The others told her.</p><p>"Hey, it doesn't hurt to ask." Grace replied to them.</p><p>"Slim?" The second bull chortled.</p><p>"Slim's just a scary bedtime story to get little calves to behave," said the first, before a gunshot went off, knocking the chow bowl onto the fire, dousing it.</p><p>Two of the cowboys were grabbed, and the wagon driver was knocked unconscious.</p><p>"What was that?" asked May.</p><p>"It must've been Slim and the Willies!" replied Grace.</p><p>"Slim and the Willies!" The bulls exclaimed.</p><p>"Don't worry, darlin', I'll protect ya." said the first bull.</p><p>"You have exactly two seconds to remove your hoof before I snap it off at the knee." Mrs. Calloway replied stoically.</p><p>"Wow, I like this one." Cherry smirked about Mrs. Calloway's bad butt behavior.</p><p>"Oh, uh, sorry, ma'am," The bull beside Mrs. Calloway smirked. "I thought you were the blonde."</p><p>Mrs. Calloway then smacked him away from with her hoof. Three thin and lean young men soon came out to tie up the cowboys who were at the campsite.</p><p>"Come on, guys," Maggie told the others. "It's time to lose these ropes."</p><p>"Maggie, I'm stuck!" Grace struggled.</p><p>Lucas and Lionel came over and began sawing at Grace's rope, trying to free her.</p><p>"Consarn it... Fray, you damn rope, FRAY!" Lucas grunted.</p><p>Thor and Tony came to help out. They soon heard a laugh as the bad man came out, looking around with steely eyes.</p><p>"There he is," Atticus glared. "That no-good cow/bull stealing maniac!"</p><p>"So that's Alameda Slim?" Mo asked.</p><p>"It's payback time!" Maggie glared. "Cover me!"</p><p>"Uh, with what?" Grace asked.</p><p>Before they could attack, a woman with curly red hair, freckles, one of two eyes peeking out from under the hair, and a small pair of buck teeth stepped up. "Okay, Slim, we got 'em all hog-tied fer ya." she announced.</p><p>"Mighty fine work, Ms. K." smirked Slim.</p><p>"That's Daisy-Kay Kanker to ya, but it works fer me." The woman replied.</p><p>"Howdy, Slim!" The blonde guys replied, before Slim smacked them.</p><p>"Who is that woman?" Mo wondered.</p><p>"Beats the snot out of me." Cherry shrugged to him.</p><p>"I feel like we might find out in the future." Atticus guessed.</p><p>Maggie soon stormed out to face Slim as she looked outraged with him being responsible for her family being gone, except for Lucas.</p><p>"Now listen up!" Slim glared at the boys before he soon began to sing and took out what looked like a gun as Maggie didn't let anything stop her as she charged for the man. "There are crooks in this here West, Who have claimed to be the best, And they think they wrote the book on how to rustle, Well, as good as they may be, Not a one's as good as me, An' I barely have to move a single muscle!~" then sang. "They call me mean, boys!, Depraved and nasty, too, And they ain't seen, boys, The cruelest thing I do!, You, See, I...~" The weapon then revealed to be a guitar as he began to yodel. "Yodel-adle-eedle-idle-odel-oo!~"</p><p>Atticus, Cherry, Lionel, Mo, and even Thor sweat-dropped from that.</p><p>"He's... Yodeling..." Lionel remarked, dumbfounded.</p><p>"I... Have no words..." Atticus said.</p><p>Maggie and Mrs. Calloway began to look like they were hypnotized from Slim's yodeling.</p><p>"That's music apparently." Mo said.</p><p>"It doesn't sound like music to me." Thor replied.</p><p>"OF COURSE!" Lucas realized. "His yodeling is at a frequency that can hypnotize cows into following him! But it doesn't work on the tone-deaf, which is why Grace isn't affected!"</p><p>"Also it doesn't seem to work on people like." Tony added about him and the others.</p><p>"Looks like y'all figured it out." Daisy-Kay smirked to them.</p><p>"Oh, hi, sir, we were just leaving." Cherry said sheepishly.</p><p>"Ah'm a lady, ya blind little idjit!" Daisy-Kay snapped, knocking Cherry over.</p><p>Lionel and Lucas shot glares at her. "<strong>NOBODY DOES THAT TO HER!</strong>" They both exclaimed at the same time.</p><p>Thor looked a bit outraged and soon ran toward Daisy-Kay to ram her down and tackled her down to the ground like he was in a football game.</p><p>"Told ya he was great at football." Atticus smiled to Cherry before helping her up.</p><p>"Why, you little tumbleweed!" Daisy-Kay growled, pushing Thor off her.</p><p>"Fellas, I hate to interrupt, but...<strong>THAT BASTARD ALAMEDA IS MAKIN' OFF WITH MY MAGGIE!</strong>" Lucas exclaimed. "An I'll be darned if'n I don't try to stop him!"</p><p>Grace tried to stop Mrs. Calloway and Maggie by biting on their tails, but she had no such luck. Just then, the wagon behind them started rolling after Grace, catching Maggie and Mrs. Calloway onboard it, snapping them from their trance.</p><p>"Y'all better get out of here before I get ya like ugly on an ape!" Daisy-Kay threatened the group.</p><p>"I think it's a little late for that!" May glared.</p><p>"Y'all stay away from Maggie, or else you'll answer to my guitar!" Lucas snapped as the group jumped aboard the rolling stagecoach.</p><p>"Look out, guys!" Thor called out.</p><p>Daisy-Kay got herself out of the way as the stagecoach rolled off with them.</p><p>"Rollin', rollin', rollin'~" Thor then began to sing.</p><p>"Really?" Atticus glanced at him.</p><p>"It felt fitting!" Thor replied as the stagecoach kept going.</p><p>"At least we know how Alameda stole the cattle the first time..." Lionel added.</p><p>"In a really weird way..." Cherry commented.</p><p>The stagecoach soon got off course as the bad guys got away with the bulls that were rounded up from Slim's yodeling.</p><p>"Look out!" May and Mo cried out as the stagecoach came towards Rico was he rode off on Buck before looking over to see them coming and they soon crashed into each other.</p><hr/><p>Rico soon got up with a glare as a trio of cowboys soon rode over to see him.</p><p>"Rico, if you'd just been a second earlier, you'd have had that rustler dead to rights." One of the cowboys spoke up to him.</p><p>"You boys see anything before I got here?" asked Rico.</p><p>"Yeah, we sure did there, Rico," replied the other cowboy. "We were just settin' down to supper, when all of a sudden the lights went out."</p><p>"All right... What part of cover me did we not understand?" Maggie asked as she came out of the stagecoach with the others.</p><p>"Well, y'all were actin' plum crazy from that singin'!" August told them.</p><p>"Uh, you guys okay?" Atticus asked the cows.</p><p>"I don't know," Mrs. Calloway said. "I feel like I was dreaming."</p><p>"Yeah. Slim started singing, and all of a sudden; I lost track of everything." Maggie then added.</p><p>"Singing? That didn't sound like singing to me," Grace replied. "And, you know, I have perfect pitch."</p><p>"Like I said, it didn't affect Grace because she's tone-deaf!" Lucas exclaimed. "Those vultures from earlier assumed she was dying!"</p><p>"All right, show's over!" said Buck, who had a sheet over his head.</p><p>"Oh, no..." Lionel and Maggie groaned.</p><p>"Great... Him..." Clementine sighed in a deadpan way.</p><p>"Whatya know? She <em>is </em>my Wild West counterpart." Cherry said, referring to Clementine.</p><p>"You're interfering with official police bidness!" Buck glared at them before looking over to Rico as he talked with the witnesses to what had happened to them that night. "Be right with you, big guy. Buck is on the case. You know. Whoo!" he then whispered sharply to the others. "Don't embarrass me in front of my partner. Please!"</p><p>"You and he are partners?" Mrs. Calloway replied.</p><p>Grace seemed to stifle a laugh from that.</p><p>"So, how does that work exactly?" Maggie soon asked. "I mean, do you get to ride him on odd days or even?"</p><p>"Hey! He chose me specifically because I have skills that are essential to capturing our quarry." replied Buck, doing some kung-fu noises as he kicked a few times.</p><p>"You look like a moron." Lionel stated blatantly.</p><p>"Kung-Fu Horse... Can't be worse than Shaq-Fu." Cherry muttered to herself.</p><p>Thor looked sick to his stomach at the mention of that video game.</p><p>"Oh, sorry, Thor." Cherry said.</p><p>Thor soon gulped down after throwing up in his mouth, giving a thumb's up with a dazed look in his eyes.</p><p>"You boys headed back to town?" Rico asked the cowboys behind him.</p><p>"Yes, sir," One informed. "We got to go file a report with the sheriff."</p><p>"Give him back his horse," Rico demanded. "This one's too skittish around cows."</p><p>"Tough break." Atticus said as he heard that with his super-hearing.</p><p>Lionel snickered. "Looks like Mr. Hotshot is about to be jobless." he replied.</p><p>"And he ain't listenin' to us." August said as Buck was still in his own little world.</p><p>"And that, girls, is what makes me and Rico equal parts of one lean mean crime-fighting-" Buck smirked before he soon saw Rico speed off with a different horse to continue his journey without him. "...Machine...?"</p><p>"Well, there it is, then." Mrs. Calloway remarked.</p><p>"Wait... I'm so confused..." Thor said.</p><p>"Clearly Rico wants a new horse with better skills." Cherry told him.</p><p>"Well, well, well, stud," Maggie snickered. "Now, I'm no professional...but I'd say the only mano-a-mano you'll be doing is in your dreams."</p><p>"Ooh, look out, Buck," chuckled Lionel. "He's makin' a move on your left! Kaboosh!" And he, Lucas, Clementine and Cherry had a good, long laugh at his expense.</p><p>Buck soon glared at them for laughing at him.</p><p>"Ladies. Children. Leave that poor animal alone." Mrs. Calloway told them.</p><p>Maggie soon laughed with the others as they went to go and join Mrs. Calloway.</p><p>"Buck, I realize you're very upset, but if you'd like to join our group, and help us bring in Slim, we'd be happy to have you," Grace advised the horse with a small smile. "However, there are a few anger-management issues we need to discuss."</p><p>"I wouldn't help you bossy bovines and you crazy kids if<strong> MY LIFE DEPENDED ON IT!</strong>" Buck glared.</p><p>"Fine then, keep yer stupid pride!" Lionel snapped as he got into his hovercraft. "You'd probably just screw things up anyway. We don't have enough room on this team for Buck and HIS MASSIVE EGO!"</p><p>"Come on, gang," said Lucas, tipping his hat. "Let's go catch Slim."</p><p>The others soon went off together, leaving the horse by himself.</p><p>"'Come on, guys, let's go catch Slim'," Buck imitated once he was alone before scoffing and shaking his head. "Cud-chewing heifers... Lousy kids... Huh, I can catch that Slim with one hoof tied behind my back," he then gasped as he now had an idea. "Wait a minute. Why don't I? Yes! Partner or no partner, that's what I'm-a do." He then sang to himself, about to go off.</p><p>The cowboys soon tried to hold Buck back, but he proved to be stronger as he soon ran off from them.</p><p>"Hey, guys?" Thor spoke up to the others.</p><p>"Yes, Thor?" Mo replied.</p><p>"Ya don't think Slim kidnapped the Sheriff's missing niece, do ya?" Thor asked.</p><p>"Wouldn't put it past the plug-ugly bastard," remarked Lucas. "Bet he used the cattle's leaving as a distraction, then snatched her in the commotion!"</p><p>"Well, we won't know until we find that creep." August glared.</p><p>"And we're going to help you." Atticus told their Wild West counterparts.</p><p>"I sure do love some new friends on a 'venture!" Tony beamed.</p><p>"Same here, big guy!" Lucas replied.</p><p>They were eventually going on until they nearly fell over as Buck raced by them.</p><p>"Hey! Watch it!" Mo glared.</p><p>"Move it, sister! Hero passing on the left!" Buck laughed as he galloped past them.</p><p>"Where are you going, hotfoot?" Maggie glared.</p><p>"I'm gonna go nab that rustler, and show Rico I got what it takes, so say goodbye to your farm, girls, because Slim is mine," Buck smirked as he soon went off on his own quest. "It's hero time! Watch out now! Hey! Get back! Jump back! Kiss myself! Whoo!"</p><p>"Oh, no you don't!" Lionel scowled, conjuring a cartoon bomb. "Have a taste of my tar grenade!" he threw it, and it blew up, leaving Buck stuck to the ground. "Nab THAT, Flicka!"</p><p>"Augh! What the?!" Buck complained.</p><p>"Sorry, Stallion of the Cimamoron, but we gotta get goin'." Cherry told the horse with a salute.</p><p>"Adios, arrivaderci, and Sayonara, Bullseye!" Lionel added.</p><p>"My name ain't Bullseye or Flicka!" Buck glared.</p><p>"Sorry, Secretariat, but not really!" Cherry replied.</p><p>"Buh-bye, Seabiscuit!" Lucas added. "YEE-HAAAW!"</p><p>"I just hope we can still do this." Cherry said to the others.</p><p>"Look at the bright side, Cherry," Grace smiled. "Don't forget about our secret weapon."</p><p>"Secret weapon?" Cherry replied.</p><p>"Y'all 'member," Tony smiled to her. "Who better to catch a cattle thief than a cow?"</p><p>"Yeah, even you can't argue with that kind of logic." Maggie replied.</p><p>Mrs. Calloway seemed to roll her eyes.</p><p>"Okay, maybe <em>you </em>can." Maggie said about the older cow.</p><p>"You know, Grace, Maggie does so love your singing," Cherry smirked. "How about a song?"</p><p>"I'm gonna get you for this." Maggie glared at her.</p><p>"Save it for <em>after </em>we save Patch of Heaven." Lucas replied.</p><p>Cherry snickered to herself as they continued forwards.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Meanwhile, we soon heard evil laughing which showed us Alameda Slim along with Daisy-Kay Kanker and their helpers, The Willy Brothers, best known as Phil, Bill, and Gil.</p><p>"Ha ha! 5,000 Texas longhorns," Slim smirked to himself. "Not bad for one night's work."</p><p>Phil and Bill were playing with a cootie-catcher.</p><p>"Pick a color!" said Phil.</p><p>"I said, not bad for one night's work!" said Slim loudly.</p><p>Phil and Bill then flinched a bit and quickly applauded him.</p><p>"Thank you," Slim then smirked to that as he checked out one steer. "And judging by the ear mark, I'd say these are the last of Big Mike Donald's herd."</p><p>"Big Mike Donald had a farm?" Gil spoke up.</p><p>"E-I-E-I-" Phil and Bill smiled to each other until they got clonked on their heads by Slim. "Oh..."</p><p>"This is torture..." A young girl's voice said before looking a bit like a Wild West counterpart for Zoe, which of course had her looking like Cherry since Zoe was Cherry's doppelgänger.</p><p>"Zip it!" Daisy-Kay retorted. "This is important!"</p><p>"That's right; he <em>had </em>a farm," said Slim, going behind a shade to change clothes. "Now that all his cash cows have disappeared...that poor sap's gonna be flat broke." he stepped out, dressed like a land baron. "Perfect time for a certain upstanding landowner to step in and take all the land!"</p><p>"Wah! Who are you?" Phil panicked.</p><p>"What'd you do with Uncle Slim?!" Bill added.</p><p>"Put up your dukes, Mr. Fancy Britches." Phil glared, about to fight the "stranger".</p><p>Slim grabbed his fist to stop him before removing his hat and glasses. "It's me. Hello?" he then reminded them. "This here is the disguise I use to sneak into all them auctions, and buy all the land, you brainless monotone monkeys."</p><p>"Shoot! You got to be the richest land baron in the west." Gil remarked.</p><p>"Yes, but the part that really warms my heart..." said Slim, as he picked up a branding iron in the shape of a dollar sign. "Is watching those homesteaders suffer. Back in the day, I worked the high-falutin-est ranches you ever seen, but those stuck-up ranch bosses couldn't appreciate my talents."</p><p>"Maybe they just didn't like your singing." shrugged Daisy-Kay, making it sound like it came from Phil.</p><p>Slim glared to Daisy-Kay and Phil.</p><p>"Dead man walkin'." Daisy-Kay smirked a bit darkly.</p><p>"My singing?" Slim's teeth grinded as he grabbed a hold of his scorching hot branding iron. "Songbirds sing. Saloon gals sing. Little bitty snot-nosed children sing. I yodel! <strong>AND YODELIN' IS AN ART!</strong>"</p><p>"Well, maybe they just didn't like yer yodeling." Bill spoke up nervously.</p><p>"He didn't mean it, Uncle Slim. Everybody likes yodeling," Gil spoke up innocently as he held onto his banjo. "Why, it's one of the funniest, cornball, goofy, silly sounds in the whole west."</p><p>Slim swung his iron at Gil, but he ducked each time until he noticed Patch of Heaven. "Uh... Gil...?" he asked.</p><p>"Uh-huh?" asked Gil.</p><p>" Am I correct in assuming that each and every time we brought a herd back to this secret lair, you've managed to sit in the exact same spot, blocking that choice piece of property from my view?!" asked Slim angrily.</p><p>"This is my comfy place," said Gil. "What?" But he was cut off as Slim grabbed him by his neck, almost choking him.</p><p>"It's called 'Patch of Heaven', Uncle Slim," said Phil, pointing to a newspaper. "Goes on auction Thursday morning."</p><p>"Perfect," said Slim, bonking Gil with the iron. "Pencil it in. Thursday morning... right after we sell off this herd!"</p><p>"But it's just a little old dirt farm." said Daisy-Kay.</p><p>"Ah, what's the difference?" Slim smirked as he soon branded Patch of Heaven as he knew that he was going to head there next. "When you're talking revenge, every last acre counts."</p><p>Zylphia frowned in concern.</p><p>"And I know you can help us get to them animals since somehow you have a way of talkin' to 'em like the little freak ya are if you ever wanna go back home." Slim then glared at her firmly.</p><p>Zylphia sighed sadly.</p><p>"Don't worry, Slim," said Daisy-Kay. "I'll have the little sunspot cooperatin' with our plans fer sure...for her sake."</p><p>"You're absolutely right, she won't dare leave us." Slim smirked to that.</p><p>Daisy-Kay nodded with a devilish snicker. Zylphia sighed as she was trapped with these crooks.</p><hr/><p>Eventually, Patch of Heaven was put up for auction as the sheriff put up a sign on the farm and Maggie, Mrs. Calloway, and Grace were still gone, along with their new friends who decided to help them to save the farm. Their future looked very grim and bleak since they hadn't come back yet.</p><p>"I don't get it," said one piglet. "Weren't the cows and kids supposed to come back?"</p><p>"Daddy, what's going to happen if they don't come back?" asked another piglet.</p><p>"Oh, but they are coming back." said Ollie.</p><p>"Hogwash! We all know they're never coming back." snapped Jeb.</p><p>"You don't know that, Jeb." said Ollie through clenched teeth.</p><p>"Everybody knows that bovines are the most intelligent, crafty animals in the west," said Jeb.</p><p>"He's right, you know." said the duck.</p><p>"It doesn't take a cow to figure out they saw the writing on the wall, and flew the coop while the getting was good." explained the goat.</p><p>"What?!" Ollie gasped.</p><p>Audrey soon panicked which made the other chickens freak out along with her. Eventually all of the animals had a panic going on.</p><p>"Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse <strong>MEEEEEEEEE!</strong>" Ollie called out before squealing loudly, and soon, the screaming stopped as all eyes were on him and he soon spoke up for himself. "Oh, uh, let's not forget who we're talkin' 'bout. Audrey, remember when Grace helped you figure out why you crossed the road?" he then asked.</p><p>Audrey paused from that as she remembered that.</p><p>"And, Jeb, Mrs. Calloway knew just what to do when your head got stuck in that spittoon." Ollie then smiled to the goat.</p><p>"Get off my case!" Jeb glared in defense.</p><p>"And Maggie and those kids were gonna make us all winners," Ollie then smiled to all of them. "I truly believe there ain't nothin' those three cows and those human kids can't do."</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Meanwhile...</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Maggie and the others were still hot on Slim's trail.</p><p>"C'mon, gang!" Maggie called. " Either I'm getting good at this, or his scent is getting stronger."</p><p>"Way to go, Maggie!" exclaimed Lucas. "We're on that no-good scumbucket like slop on a pig's trough!"</p><p>"Go get 'em, Maggie!" Grace beamed.</p><p>"Guys?" Thor bit his lip.</p><p>"What?" The others asked.</p><p>"I need to go... Bad..." Thor told them.</p><p>"<em>Again</em>?" Cherry rolled her eyes.</p><p>Lucas sighed. "Tarnation... Fine... But no more drinkin' so much sody-pop!" he remarked as he pulled over.</p><p>"And let's hurry, shall we?" asked Lionel. "We don't want the trail going cold because you took too long on your bathroom breaks!"</p><p>Thor soon went behind a rock to have some privacy.</p><p>"That boy..." Cherry sighed.</p><p>"He just wants to help us out." Atticus told her.</p><p>"I guess," Cherry shrugged. "I swear, he's like a puppy."</p><p>"Yeah, but everyone knows puppies require care," shrugged Lionel. "And at least we're prepared to deal with that."</p><p>Eventually Thor came back with a smile.</p><p>"You okay?" Cherry asked.</p><p>Thor smiled and nodded excitedly.</p><p>"Then let's go!" Cherry then said.</p><hr/><p>And so they continued on their trek...until they realized that the tracks they were following seemed to just go on in circles.</p><p>"Folks, I do believe we've been tricked by a certain smart-alecky no-good horse." Lucas remarked.</p><p>"Huh? How'd he get out?!" Thor glared.</p><p>"Must've gotten lucky." Mo replied.</p><p>"This has Buck written all over it." Mrs. Calloway glared.</p><p>"We're not gonna let this dumb old trick stop us," Maggie told the others. "Sooner or later, all these paths will hook up, and then-"</p><p>It soon began to rain as the tracks seemed to melt into the sand, becoming invisible.</p><p>"Oh, no, the tracks!" Grace gasped.</p><p>"Hurry up, guys," Maggie told them as she went to follow the trail anyway. "Don't lose that trail."</p><p>"Blast that horse!" Lionel growled. "If I see him again, I'll make glue out of him!"</p><p>"Let's just keep trying to follow the trail before it gets worse!" Clementine suggested as it began to rain.</p><p>And so the group took off as the rain came down.</p><p>"Augh! Hurry! Hurry!" Atticus panicked a bit.</p><p>A lightning bolt hit a tree which made a bit chunk shoot down, nearly hitting them. The sand began to get soggy and muddy and they were now hopelessly lost as the trail was gone.</p><p>"Oh! Flash flood! Get to high ground!" Mrs. Calloway cried out.</p><p>"Forget THAT! We need to get outta here before we sink!" Lionel exclaimed.</p><p>They soon went to find someplace to go and went to some higher ground.</p><p>"Oh! Maggie!" Grace cried out as Maggie was still in the floor.</p><p>"Maggie, up here!" Tony called out to the cow.</p><p>Maggie kept trying to find a trail despite all hope being lost.</p><p>"Maggie!" Lucas shouted, reaching. "The trail is gone! That blasted horse tried to get us all killed!"</p><p>Maggie soon looked over.</p><p>"Maggie, get up here before ya drown!" May told the cow.</p><p>"We'll get ya!" August added.</p><p>Lucas swung his lasso down to grab Maggie so he could pull her into the hovercraft.</p><p>Maggie grunted a bit. "My hooves are a little stuck!" she then called out.</p><p>"Bite the rope!" Lucas shouted. "I'll pull you up!"</p><p>Maggie soon bit onto the rope as she grunted while trying not to get swept away. Lucas gave a mighty tug, and Maggie was yanked right out of the mud. Tony and August tried to help out Lucas with their own strength. Luckily they managed to catch Maggie in the hovercraft.</p><p>"Phew..." Tony and August sighed.</p><p>"Thanks, fellas." Lucas smiled to them.</p><p>"What're friends for?" August replied.</p><p>And so the group took off.</p><p>"Where do we go now?" Clementine wondered.</p><p>"I'm... Not sure..." Thor had to admit.</p><hr/><p>As bad as things had gotten, they just got worse.</p><p>"We're going straight home." said Mrs. Calloway.</p><p>"What?!" exclaimed Maggie and Lucas. "But what about catchin' Slim?"</p><p>"We never had a prayer of catching Slim in the first place," Mrs. Calloway firmly told them which made Maggie narrow her eyes. "This whole ridiculous plan is just so you can get revenge on those cattle rustlers."</p><p>"Hey!" Maggie soon snapped. "For your information, Duchess; this whole ridiculous plan is about us saving OUR farm."</p><p>"Our farm might've had a fighting chance until you came along." Mrs. Calloway retorted.</p><p>"What's THAT supposed to mean?" asked Lucas.</p><p>"Okay, let's not start a fight." Thor smiled nervously.</p><p>"Strutting around with your vulgar show-cow behavior." Mrs. Calloway glared to Maggie.</p><p>"Look, I was just having-" Maggie replied only to be interrupted.</p><p>"Wasting our time on your foolish plans," Mrs. Calloway continued firmly. "Through the years, Patch of Heaven has survived every hardship that nature can dish out, but you, Maggie, are the biggest catastrophe to ever hit our farm."</p><p>"You can insult ME...but you don't EVER insult Maggie." Lucas glared. "If that's how you really feel...then maybe we oughta go our separate ways!"</p><p>"Oh, my." Thor pouted.</p><p>"Now, that's the first good idea you've ever had." Mrs. Calloway glared.</p><p>"Fine!" Maggie glared back.</p><p>"Fine!"</p><p>"Fine!"</p><p>"Fine!"</p><p>Grace and Thor both looked tore up over the argument.</p><p>"Well, then... I guess we'll go," Lucas replied, tipping his hat. "C'mon, gang."</p><p>Maggie glared to Mrs. Calloway before she soon looked pretty upset from the argument.</p><p>"C-Come on... Let's go... We don't need that British Stuffed English Muffin." Tony glared with tears in his eyes.</p><p>"Yeah," May replied. "Might as well leave if we ain't wanted."</p><p>Tony wiped his eyes as he felt as much hurt about the fighting as much as his modern day counterpart did.</p><p>"Yeah. Fine," Maggie sulked. "It's not like your farm was ever gonna feel like home to me anyways."</p><hr/><p>And so the group squatted under a ridge as the rain kept on pouring around them.</p><p>"I don't like fighting..." Thor whispered.</p><p>"Aw, buddy..." Atticus frowned to him.</p><p>"My parents fight sometimes..." Thor shut his eyes sadly. "I know it's not about or Bebe... But it always hurts..."</p><p>Lionel sighed. "I'm sorry, man." he turned and hugged him.</p><p>Thor looked to him and soon hugged Lionel back, though this time, it didn't seem to be overly tight and crushing. Lionel patted him on the back, and Lucas sadly played his guitar as the rain came down.</p><p>"I'm sorry, guys..." Thor said to the others before breaking out of the hug. "I just didn't want this to happen."</p><p>"It's okay, buddy, none of us did." Atticus told him.</p><p>Soon, the group went to sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>By the next morning, Mo was the first one awake. She soon yawned and stretched, smacking her lips as she looked around. "Well, at least the rain stopped." She then said, a bit softly as she looked all around.</p><p>Lionel was awake next. "Hm? Morning, Mo..." he muttered.</p><p>Maggie was eating Mrs. Calloway's hat in her sleep, but then the both of them woke up.</p><p>"Check, please!" The brown cow called out once she woke up.</p><p>"Well, I suppose you'll be off now." said Mrs. Calloway. "Where will you all go?"</p><p>"Oh, probably check out the Grand Canyon," replied Maggie. "See Utah with Lucas before I die."</p><p>"Wait a minute. Where's Grace?" asked Mo.</p><p>"And where's Thor?" Cherry asked. "His butt made a good pillow."</p><p>"Good morning!" Thor smiled as he soon came out with Grace.</p><p>"Hi, there. Boy, am I glad you guys are up," Grace added as she led them out to show cacti filled with green leaves and grass for the cows. "Hey, come look at this."</p><p>"What on Earth?" Mrs. Calloway muttered. "Where did all this come from?"</p><p>"Hey, it's green, it's leafy, and it's free," Maggie said as she began to stuff her face. "Shut up and eat."</p><p>"Well, that takes care of you all," Lucas replied. "But what about us who aren't exactly bovines?"</p><p>"Ahem!" Thor smiled as he soon grabbed Lucas's hand and pulled him over.</p><p>The others soon followed after and they saw what looked like two picnic tables filled with a bunch of food made and prepared for them.</p><p>"Behold! My own magic!" Thor beamed, raising his arms in the air, taking Lucas with him unintentionally. "I found the strength and spirit to cook!"</p><p>"Thor, you cook?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"I sure can!" Thor beamed as he held onto her and held her out to the buffet table. "I made grits, chicken, steaks, potatoes, and our new friend helped me cook some vegetables properly, along with some fresh and clean water."</p><p>Lucas gasped as he shook Thor's hand. "Well... Thanks a heap, pardner!" he exclaimed.</p><p>"Aha... You're welcome, buddy." Thor beamed.</p><p>"Now let's dig in!" Lionel exclaimed.</p><p>Thor beamed as he then came to sit and eat with them.</p><p>"But wait, Thor, who's this new friend of yours?" Cherry soon asked, filling up her plate.</p><p>"Good mornin', folks; I see you already tucked into your appetizers," A jack rabbit said as he soon rushed over to get cooking himself. "Never knew a pretty lady that didn't have an appetite."</p><p>Mrs. Calloway looked offended from that. "Oh, now, see here, you ruffian-"</p><p>"He's not a ruffian, Mrs. Calloway." Thor told the older cow.</p><p>"He's right," Grace added. "He's a genuine desert shaman; our very own wiseman."</p><p>"Wiseman, eh?" Lucas asked. "Might be just what we need, eh?"</p><p>"Sounds good to me," August replied. "Mm... This is good chicken."</p><p>"I guess so." May replied as she also ate.</p><p>"Shaman, chef, chief cook, and bottle washer," The jack rabbit smiled to them. "I'm a jack rabbit of all trades and at your service."</p><p>"And who might you be?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"Folks around these parts call me Lucky Jack," The jack rabbit smiled as he started a fire, though his peg leg caught on fire without him noticing. "Yep, they used to come from miles around just to get one rub of my lucky rabbit's foot."</p><p>"Hey, Lucky Jack? Yer leg's on fire." Clementine replied.</p><p>Lucky Jack soon panicked as he saw that and soon put the fire out in his mouth, making steam come out of his ears "This happens all the time," he then said before taking out a scorpion to the cows and began to dice it to cook it over the fire. "Now, where was I? Ah. Voila. Now let me just get this on the fire, and it'll be ready directly. Yow!" he then yelped as the scorpion tail hit his eye.</p><p>"Look, we don't eat meat, at least, us cows don't," explained Maggie. "It's kind of like a professional courtesy."</p><p>"Perhaps we'll dine with you some other time. You see, Grace and I are returning to our farm to say our last goodbyes." explained Mrs. Calloway.</p><p>"Yeah. We need closure." added Grace.</p><p>"Well, I can sympathize there, sister, I truly can," said Lucky Jack. "Until recently, I, too, had a home. Echo Mine it was called. Us jackrabbits lived there for generation after generation. Till some land-grabbing bandit moved in, and flushed us out like yesterday's oatmeal."</p><p>"Aw... I'm sorry, li'l fella... I'd help if I could." Tony said.</p><p>"We all would." August, Clementine, Lucas, and May added.</p><p>"Ahem. Excuse us. My good fellow, we must be on our way." Mrs. Calloway soon said.</p><p>"Aww! But Mrs. Calloway!" Thor complained.</p><p>"Wait! There he is!" Lucky Jack called out, seeing a wanted poster of a certain man in the picture and he kicked the cactus before yelping out in pain in his good foot.</p><p>"I wonder how a wanted poster got onto a cactus?" Atticus said to himself.</p><p>"Slim!" Maggie gasped once she saw who was in the picture. "You mean this no-good varmint is hiding out in Echo Mine right now?"</p><p>"Mags, I reckon Mr. Opportunity is knockin' on our door!" Lucas grinned.</p><p>"Maggie, what are you thinking?" asked Mrs. Calloway.</p><p>"Look, I got a score to settle with that rhinestone fat boy, and nothing to lose." replied Maggie.</p><p>"But it'll be dangerous going after Slim all by yourself." replied May.</p><p>"Hey, I got the rabbit." said Maggie.</p><p>"That's not all you got, Maggie. You got us." said August.</p><p>"And us too!" Grace added, trying to bring Mrs. Calloway beside her.</p><p>"Oh, no. No, no, no. No," Mrs. Calloway shook her head, getting away from Grace before pulling on her bell with her tail to drag he off. "We are sticking to our plan and going home."</p><p>"Hold on, you two," Maggie said. "As strange as this sounds, Grace is actually making sense."</p><p>"Thank you." Grace smiled to that.</p><p>"You want the money, and I want to get even with Slim," Maggie then continued. "The three of us and the Terrific Ten go together, and we're sure to get him. Once you collect the reward, I'll walk out your front gate, and I'll stay out of it forever. Deal?"</p><p>"Your powers of persuasion are uncanny," replied Mrs. Calloway. "Deal."</p><p>"Really?!" Thor beamed.</p><p>"I guess we might as well." Mrs. Calloway replied.</p><p>"Ha! Bovine bounty hunters! Now I've seen everything." Lucky Jack chuckled to himself.</p><p>"Yup," Lionel replied. "They ain't the bravest heroes, but they're the only ones we've got!"</p><p>"Fair enough." Atticus chuckled as that reminded him of someone.</p><p>"Let's get moving, gang!" Lucky Jack told them as he ran off ahead of them. "Time for an underground smackdown. Yee-haw!"</p><p>"Now yer talkin'!" Tony beamed.</p><p>"Bajabbers!" Lucas exclaimed as he and the group took off.</p><p>Thor soon began to sing his Home on the Range song again.</p><p>"Never took you for a singer, Thor." Atticus commented.</p><p>"Eh, it comes in small doses actually." Thor smiled.</p><p>"Well...play us out!" Lionel smirked as they rode off.</p><p>Thor soon began to sing his song again as they ran toward Echo Mine together to bust Alameda Slim once and for all. Lucky Jack was helping lead the way for them as he seemed to know where to go.</p><hr/><p>Eventually, it was now night time, and Slim stood in front of his minions as they sat on the couch in front of him.</p><p>"Okay, boys, let's go through it one last time," Slim said. "Who am I?"</p><p>"Uncle Slim?" Phil guessed.</p><p>"Correct! Heh," Slim chuckled before putting on his hat and glasses. "Now, l put on my hat, then l put on my spectacles-"</p><p>The Willy brothers yelped.</p><p>"Who're you?" asked Phil.</p><p>"Where's Uncle Slim?" asked Gil.</p><p>Daisy-Kay just snorted. "These three ain't winning any genius awards any time soon, that's for certain." she remarked.</p><p>Slim growled. "It's still ME! Can't you stupid sack of hammers get it right?!" he exclaimed.</p><p>A train whistle soon blew.</p><p>"Ah, it looks like our company is here." Daisy-Kay told Slim.</p><p>"Oh, the ever-punctual Mr. Weaseley," Slim smirked as he cooled down his anger. "Okay, everybody make way for the big man in black market livestock."</p><p>Daisy-Kay and Slim went to go and see the man. Phil soon tried on Slim's hat and glasses with an innocent smile.</p><p>"Augh! Who are you?!" Bill and Gil panicked from him.</p><hr/><p>A short man dressed in purple moved through the crowd of cows. "All right, come on!" he snapped. "Move it, Bessie, or I'll tan your hides right here."</p><p>Slim reached in and plucked him out of the crowd.</p><p>"I... Hey, hey, hey! Watch the suit! Watch the suit!" The man exclaimed.</p><p>"Feast your eyes!" said Slim. "9,000 cows on the barrelhead as promised, Mr. Weaseley."</p><p>"The name's Wesley," said the short guy. "So, Slim, what do you say we get a move on and load these cash cows onto the train A.S.A.P., huh?"</p><p>"Yes, yes, of course," Slim smirked as he opened up the bag given to him as it was filled with money. "Just as soon as we finish counting."</p><hr/><p>"Lucky Jack, you did it!" Grace beamed.</p><p>"We're here!" Thor added.</p><p>"Well, I take my hat off to you, Jack." Mrs. Calloway smiled.</p><p>Tony gasped. "Isn't that hat important to ya?"</p><p>Mrs. Calloway gave him a look. "It's an expression."</p><p>"So do ya mean it?" Tony asked, still confused.</p><p>"I don't think that guy's very smart," Thor whispered loudly to Cherry, Atticus, Mo, and Lionel. "He's kind of a... Dumbo."</p><p>The group looked at each other. "Believe me...we know." Lionel replied.</p><p>"Heheh... Lucky for me I'm smart... That's why I have a big head, my brain is huge." Thor smirked.</p><p>"Yes, I'm sure it's a big brain," Cherry said sarcastically. "Such a big, big brain."</p><p>"Easy." Atticus warned.</p><p>"Well, seein' is believin'." replied Lucky Jack.</p><p>"And I don't believe what I see." added Lucas, as they came to the tunnel and saw a certain horse stuck in the tunnel.</p><p>"Why, it's Buck!" said May.</p><p>"Stallion of the Cim-Moron." added Clementine, as Lucas chuckled.</p><p>"I'm supposed to be here just in case one of the horses get tired." Buck said to the buffalo.</p><p>"Cows only." The buffalo glared.</p><p>"Look, friend, you don't understand my situation." Buck smiled nervously.</p><p>"No, you don't understand, so l'll say it again," The buffalo glared. "The only critters that get by me are cows. Cows only."</p><hr/><p>The group soon smirked to each other, mostly to Maggie, Grace, and Mrs. Calloway.</p><p>"Oh, come on!" Buck complained. "Look, cut me a break."</p><p>"Well, my good buffalo, <em>we </em>happen to have three cows with us," Lucas replied, putting on a calm tone. "Perhaps we could escort them in?"</p><p>"Ah, of course, right this way," The buffalo seemed to smile to them. "Are you all with the cows?"</p><p>"Yeah, we got a little split up from the herd, but we're coming in now." May replied.</p><p>The group soon went to go inside as the buffalo let them inside.</p><p>"Tell 'em Junior sent ya." The buffalo smiled.</p><p>"Oh! Hey, what gives?!" Buck complained. "How come <em>they </em>got to go through?"</p><p>"They're cows." Junior replied.</p><p>"What?!" Buck glared. "But what about the rabbit and those humans?!"</p><p>"Well, obviously, they were <em>with</em> the cows." Junior replied.</p><p>"Ha! l'm with the cows, too! Yeah! Hey! Hey, cows! W-Wait up! You got to tell this guy you know me!" Buck smiled innocently, calling out to the group as they went into the mine together. "See, Junior, we're old friends! Come on, Margie! Uh, Gretchen! Miss, uh... Uh, Hat Cow! Come on, it's your old pal Buck, see?"</p><p>Lucas turned with a smug smirk. "Never seen that horse in our lives." he replied.</p><p>"Hmm... Buck... Buck..." Clementine soon paused with a smirk to August who then smirked back with a thumb's up. "Is he a big bold horse like that?"</p><p>"Uh, yeah?" Buck replied.</p><p>"And does he do karate moves like this?" Clementine asked before demonstrating her own karate moves.</p><p>"Yeah!" Buck smiled to her.</p><p>"And does he look up to some weird guy named Rico, saying he's his hero?" Clementine then asked.</p><p>"Yeah!" Buck grinned hopefully.</p><p>"Nope... Never heard of him." Clementine then shrugged and walked away with the others.</p><p>Lucas chuckled. "Boy-oh-boy, Clementime, was that a hoot!" he exclaimed. "Ya got his hopes up, an' knocked 'em right on down!"</p><p>"Why, thank ya," Clementine smirked. "I dunno what came over me, but somethin' told me to do it."</p><p>"It's what that wannabe steed deserves for almost gettin' us killed!" Lionel replied.</p><p>"Mm-hmm." Clementine had to agree.</p><p>"So what's the plan?" Lucky Jack soon asked.</p><p>"Well, let's see..." Maggie paused before looking to Grace and Mrs. Calloway. "You two get his attention while l sneak up behind him, and then I'll knock him into the cart, and then we'll rope him up and wheel him to justice!" she then began, taking the rope out of a mine cart that was next to her.</p><p>"Oh! And for extra measure, how about we conk him on the noggin with this?" Mrs. Calloway then asked, picking up a saucer in her mouth.</p><p>"You go, cowgirl! That's usin' the old hat." Maggie smiled to that.</p><p>"Whoa, whoa!" said Lucky Jack. "Now you lost me here, Missy."</p><p>"Look, it's simple: cart, smack, rope, roll, justice," said Grace. "C'mon, Jack; focus! Now is not the time to get all scatterbrained and flaky."</p><p>The group stared at her in disbelief.</p><p>"Yeah, buddy!" Thor then added before smirking to the others. "See? I'm a smarty."</p><p>"Uh, yes, Thor, you're very smart with your big brain." Mo added politely.</p><p>"I like big brains and I cannot lie~" Cherry sarcastically sang to herself.</p><p>"Yup," Lionel shrugged. "You got a large brain...or at least one that's decent sized."</p><p>"Aww..." Thor smiled to that.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Meanwhile, there was some counting going on.</p><p>"4,334, 4,335-"</p><p>"1 ,435..."</p><p>"1-"</p><p>"4,336-"</p><p>Slim soon groaned as he lost track of the money he was counting. "Can't you morons count to yourselves?"</p><p>Wesley rolled his eyes as he checked his pocket watch. "Come on." he growled a bit impatiently.</p><p>"Gotta start all over!" Slim complained as he started over in counting.</p><p>Zylphia looked around as she thought she heard other voices somewhere.</p><hr/><p>"There they are." Maggie said, seeing Slim and Daisy-Kay.</p><p>"Let's get this plan started!" Tony grinned.</p><p>"Hold on!" said Grace. "You're forgetting Slim's hypnotic control with less-than-perfect pitch. Jack, you gotta forgive me." she replied as she pulled off some of his tail fluff and put it in Mrs. Calloway and Maggie's ears.</p><p>"Grace, how practical!" exclaimed May.</p><p>"Ah, the ditz having a clever moment, not bad." Cherry said.</p><p>"Thank you!" Thor and Grace smiled.</p><p>"Uh, I was talking to... Erm... Never mind..." Cherry then said. "Good work."</p><p>"Done countin'!" Bill called out as they shut the doors after the steers had been moved in. "What do we got?"</p><p>"4,997." Gil said, checking his notepad.</p><p>"WHAT?!" Daisy-Kay glared.</p><p>"Huh? Wait, wait, what?" Wesley spoke up. "I thought you said 5,000 even."</p><p>"Of course I did," Slim told him. "Gil must've just miscounted, that's all."</p><p>"There's one, up there!" pointed Phil, seeing Grace walking above them on the tracks.</p><p>"And the others can't be far behind; just you watch," smirked Slim as he walked up to the trail Grace was on.</p><p>"Yer gonna like this," nudged Bill. "Yodelin's an art."</p><p>Slim cleared his throat, and yodeled to the tune of "Ride of the Valkyries", but Grace just trotted right on into the tunnel. He tried again with Mrs. Calloway, but since her ears were blocked, she didn't hear a thing.</p><p>Mr. Wesley just snickered. "What's the deal, Slimbo?"</p><p>"Maybe she wasn't an art lover." suggested Gil.</p><p>"Clearly something's going on." remarked Daisy-Kay.</p><p>Cherry and Maggie began to sneak the mine cart over to behind Slim, trying to keep calm and quiet.</p><p>"A bovine ain't been born that can resist my charms." Slim glared.</p><p>"I'd try a new tune." Zylphia smirked.</p><p>"SHUT UP!" Slim glared at her before he soon yodeled a new tune which was the 1812 Overture.</p><p>The Willy Brothers soon panicked as Grace and Mrs. Calloway then acted hypnotized from the yodeling to distract Slim.</p><p>"Gotcha!" Slim smirked, grabbing the cart which made Cherry and Maggie look nervous. "Where do ya think <em>YER</em> goin'?"</p><p>"Zoinks?" Cherry grinned nervously, sliding down behind the cart.</p><p>Suddenly, Slim was headbutted into the cart by Grace and Mrs. Calloway.</p><p>"Now, Lucas!" whispered Cherry as the boy climbed into the cart with his guitar; Lucky Jack managed to hogtie Slim's arms and legs, and as he lifted his head up, Lucas smashed his guitar over his head, knocking him out cold.</p><p>"Uncle Slim! Uncle Slim!" the Willy Brothers ran towards the scene.</p><p>"Now, Tony, get the girl!" Lucas exclaimed, pointing at Zylphia. "Your time to shine!"</p><p>"I'ma comin'!" Tony proclaimed as he soon slid down from the railroad and came up to Zylphia. "Howdy, li'l lady. Need a ride?"</p><p>"Uh-huh." Zylphia smiled and nodded to him.</p><p>"Yer comin' with me!" Tony smiled back, holding her in his arm as he soon took out his lasso, throwing it onto a ledge and soon pulled himself and her up and they soon went to join the others after Slim.</p><p>"I left clown college for <em>this</em>?" Wesley asked himself in disbelief.</p><p>"Time to go!" Lionel shouted. "Let's hit the trail!"</p><p>They soon went through the mine with Slim in their clutches.</p><p>"Let's get outta here!" Tony said as he held onto Zylphia.</p><p>"Come back here, dog meat!" Junior glared as he was seen chasing after Buck.</p><p>"Jackpot!" Maggie grinned.</p><p>"We got him now!" Grace beamed.</p><p>"Well done!" Mrs. Calloway smiled.</p><p>Zylphia gasped and pointed out to the others as she saw the horse and buffalo. "Watch out!"</p><p>They slammed into him, flying off and leaving Buck clinging on to the cart.</p><p>"Hey, Casey Jones, fire up the getaway express!" yelled Mr. Wesley to Bill, who took the bag and got onto the train before Buck shot past with Slim in the minecart, with the buffalo, cows, and group following behind.</p><p>"It's Slim! I got Slim!" Buck squealed once he saw the cattle rustler.</p><p>Junior kept trying to butt his head up against Buck.</p><p>"Augh! Hey! Leave me alone!" Buck cried out as he was soon taken for a ride.</p><p>The mine cart traveled through several doors before going into an elevator which rode up with them. Junior looked up to that before the others ran against him and he soon yelped out as he fell off of the ledge.</p><p>"Did he just seriously Goofy Holler?" Cherry asked the others.</p><p>"Stock sound effect," Lionel shrugged before doing a double-take. "Hey...anybody seen Lucas?"</p><p>"Uncle Slim! Uncle Slim!" shouted the Willy Brothers as they ran in.</p><p>"In here!" yelled Mrs. Calloway as they ran into another elevator, as Atticus started it, and it shot upwards.</p><p>Cherry panted a bit from them all being pressed together, but luckily for her, it wouldn't last long.</p><p>"It's okay, Cherry, we won't be in here long." Atticus told her.</p><p>Bill and Gil soon ran the other way as the elevator took them up.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, Buck ran out of the tunnel with the minecart, with Slim and Lucas inside, racing past Rico, who turned to see them go by.</p><p>Suddenly, Buck skidded to a halt. "That was Rico!" he exclaimed, before turning around and going back towards the bounty hunter.</p><p>"What in blue blazes...?" asked Rico, before the cows showed up and took the cart.</p><p>"Thanks, gang!" Lucas smiled, twirling the frying pan. "Now I can continue getting my revenge!"</p><p>Buck glared and chased after the cart.</p><p>"Sorry, Mr. Ed!" Cherry called out on the way.</p><p>Junior soon got free and began to chase after Buck while Rico glared at the scene. While Buck was busy getting reacquainted with Junior, Slim soon began to wake up.</p><p>"Junior!" he called to the buffalo. "Junior!" But Lucky Jack took another pan and knocked him out cold once more.</p><p>Buck was now struggling to remove a barrel from his head as the Willy Brothers and Daisy-Kay were on a winch cart, coming after the others. Rico soon put a saddle on the horse once he got free.</p><p>"Rico's saddle! I'm wearing Rico's saddle!" Buck gushed before he soon rode off with Rico on his back.</p><p>Everyone in the minecart with Slim kept riding off, going up and down and all around.</p><p>"I think I'm gonna be siiiick!" Cherry cried out.</p><p>"COWABUNGA!" Lionel and Lucas yelled as they shot through the mines.</p><p>Suddenly, Daisy-Kay and the Willy Bros burst in. "Surprise!" said Phil, before Lucky Jack knocked out both of them. But Daisy-Kay pulled the brakes on the minecart, and the resulting sparks from the skidding to a halt lit all the dynamite fuses.</p><p>With a collective scream of terror, the group shot out of the mine as the explosion tore through the hallway, launching them outside, and getting them safely onto the tracks.</p><p>"We made it!" cheered Maggie.</p><p>"YEE-HAW!" Lucas whooped as he kissed Clementine.</p><p>"Mission accomplished, folks!" Clementine beamed before kissing Lucas back.</p><p>"Guys! We got company!" Lucky Jack soon said as he saw something coming.</p><p>Slim then came to again and yelped as he saw a train coming down the tracks with them on it.</p><p>"THE TRAIN IS HEADED RIGHT FOR US!" Cherry cried out.</p><p>Phil was pulling on a lever with Wesley as the train was about to hit them and they all yelled out, but luckily, they weren't hit.</p><p>"Everyone who's not dead, sound off!" Lionel called. A chorus of grunts and groans were his only response. "Good!"</p><p>In a fit of anger, Slim threw the mine cart off of himself. "DAG-NABBIT!" he growled, grabbing the three cows in a headlock and slamming them to the ground. "I guess I gotta do EVERYTHING myself!"</p><p>Lucas leapt up. "You scummy polecat! You leave them alone!" he shouted, as Daisy-Kay grabbed him by the arms.</p><p>"Well, well, who do we have here?" Slim smirked towards Lucas.</p><p>"You know damn well who I am, you yodeling bastard." Lucas growled, thrashing to get out of Daisy-Kay's grasp. "Ya done went and took my cows...cept for Maggie, muh pride n' joy. And I'm not gonna letcha do it EVER again! I came with my friends to give ya whatcha rightfully deserve!"</p><p>"Them's fightin' words for a li'l short-stuff like yerself!" Slim glared. "Ya wanna fight? Well, let's fight!"</p><p>"Bring it on, Mr. Yodel Man!" Lucas replied. "I'll take you on right here, right now!"</p><p>Slim soon brought out his own gun with a growl. Black bars soon appeared as a guitar string played with the shrieking of a hawk like an old Wild West flick. Lucas squinted as he reached into his pocket and took out a pistol of his own.</p><p>"Land sakes!" Clementine cried out as she watched this.</p><p>"My money, if you please," said Slim, and Mr. Wesley handed him the bag.</p><p>"I was just keepin' it safe for ya," replied the man sheepishly.</p><p>"Sure you were," said Slim. "Protecting my investments is what I pay THIS feller for. Mr. Weasely, let me present the most traitorous, double-crossin' gun for hire that I've ever had the pleasure to call 'partner'...RICO!"</p><p>The mercenary in question hopped down from the train. "You're too kind, Boss." he drawled.</p><p>"WHAT?!" Lucas asked.</p><p>"Ya deaf? Rico was workin' for Slim." Daisy-Kay chuckled to him.</p><p>"No, it can't be." Buck whispered in shock.</p><p>"His reputation as a bounty hunter is well-known, but lately he's been doing a little moonlighting, and covering our tracks," Slim smirked as Rico came down. "Rico's going to see you to the border, so that nothing else goes wrong."</p><p>"Nice job, Buck." Atticus said sarcastically.</p><p>"I-I swear, I didn't know!" Buck replied.</p><p>"Now, if you'll all pardon me..." Slim smirked as he changed into his disguise and got on Junior. "There's a little Patch of Heaven on the auction block this morning!"</p><p>Grace gasped. "He's going to buy our farm!" she exclaimed, and the cows began tugging at the ropes.</p><p>"Adios! YEE-HAW!" shouted Slim as Junior took off.</p><hr/><p>Rico got onto Buck. "Dunno how you got mixed up in this, but stick around and you might get to <em>like</em> the other side of the law." he remarked, as Buck looked disappointed.</p><p>"And what of us?" questioned Lucas. "What do you intend ta do to us?"</p><p>"You brats like these cows so much, you're goin' with them!" Wesley glared, shoving them all into the train.</p><p>"I'm innocent, I tell you!" Thor cried out as if he was being sent to jail.</p><p>"Aw, shut up!" Wesley rolled his eyes. "You got a brain LIKE a cow. Hurry up! You don't want to be late for that big round-up in the sky!"</p><p>"Oh, I didn't know they had round-ups in the sky..." Thor said. "Is it near Mount Olympus?"</p><p>"He means, they aim to kill us!" Lucas snapped.</p><p>"Oh..." Thor said before his eyes widened. "Ohh! No, please, I have a little sister! Yeah, she annoys the heck out of me, but she needs me!"</p><p>"Get in there!" Wesley glared as the Willy Brothers soon shoved them all into the train together.</p><p>Cherry muffled before poking her head out as she seemed to be at the very bottom of the pile.</p><p>"Lovely," Wesley smirked. "Now get the engine fired up, and let's make tracks."</p><p>Lionel pulled Cherry up before dusting her off.</p><p>Suddenly they heard someone yelling outside. "MAKE A BREAK FOR IT, GANG! RUN!"</p><p>"Buck...?" asked Lucas in disbelief. "Have you gone crazy?!"</p><p>"That's entirely possible!" replied the horse as he thrashed around, injuring Rico. "Or maybe I just figured out...who the REAL heroes are!"</p><p>"Better late than never!" Lionel replied.</p><p>"Wait! What if it's some kind of trick?" asked Mo.</p><p>As if to answer her question, Buck hurled Rico into the air, and donkey-kicked him, knocking him out.</p><p>"Oh, it's not a trick!" Mrs. Calloway exclaimed. "It's a MIRACLE! Come on!"</p><p>And with that, the three bovines rammed against the car door. Thor soon rammed up against the door with them like in a football tackle.</p><p>"This is useless," Mrs. Calloway sighed. "Let's put our heads together. More brains and less brawn."</p><p>"It's the opposite for me." Thor replied, missing the point a bit.</p><p>"Come on, you guys, you're supposed to be the strong ones." Cherry told Atticus and Thor.</p><p>"When she's right, she's right," Lionel shrugged. "YEEE-HAAAAAAAW!" And on that, the three of them all lunged at the door, breaking it open.</p><p>Cherry winced a bit. "Did that hurt?"</p><p>"I'm okay!" Thor beamed as he got right back up.</p><p>Rico was about to shoot at them until Atticus ran into him, shoving him before Grace then kicked him away. Buck was handling Gil who used a shovel only to get hit by the shovel and kicked by Buck until Lucky Jack hit a horseshoe at his head, calling it a "Lucky shot.".</p><p>"And now for you!" Thor then glared at Rico, looking ready to lunge out at him.</p><p>"Mother of mercy...izzis the end of Rico...?" The man groaned as Thor and Tony leapt and body-slammed him.</p><p>"Bra-vo! Bravo!" exclaimed Buck. "You stopped Rico cold!"</p><p>Mrs. Calloway blew a little dust off her hoof. "Aw. shucks. Tweren't nuthin." she replied.</p><p>"Fat lot of good it done us," remarked Maggie. "Alameda Slim has already flown the coop."</p><p>"She's right," said Grace. "Unless we sprout wings, we'll never make it back in time."</p><p>"Aw, even I think that's far-fetched... What do we do?" Thor replied.</p><p>"I can't believe what I'm hearing!" Mrs. Calloway glared. "This train goes right by Patch of Heaven."</p><p>"What're you sayin'?" Clementine asked. "We drive the train ourselves?"</p><p>"Well... I could soup this sucker up, give it the boost it needs," Lionel replied. "I'm thinkin'...jet thrusters, on both sides!"</p><p>"It's farfetched...it's insane...and it might just WORK!" Lucas exclaimed.</p><p>"Yeah!" Thor and Tony beamed.</p><p>"It'll hafta do," August replied. "Y'all best hurry though. We ain't got much time!"</p><p>"He's right," Atticus said. "Slim's already halfway there by now probably."</p><p>"Well, then we're gonna hafta work extra fast, ain't we?" asked May as Lionel rubbed his hands together, and shot the train with magical energy, giving it jet thrusters on both sides.</p><p>"All aboard, folks!" called Lionel. "Next stop: Patch of Heaven! Though I wonder what happened to Daisy-Kay..."</p><p>"Who knows?" Mo sighed.</p><p>"Who cares?" Cherry rolled her eyes. "If I see that wench lady again, it'll be too soon. What kinda name is Kanker anyway?"</p><p>"Good point," replied Lucas. "'Sides, I chucked her in the car with Rico and his cronies after Buck let all the cattle go free. Now let's roll!"</p><p>"Yeah! We're outta here! And I'm going to Disneyland!" Thor smiled.</p><p>The Wild West adventure group looked confused to that.</p><p>"Ah, you'll find out soon enough." Thor told them.</p><p>"And I'm comin' with ya," Zylphia said as she stood beside Tony. "That Slim fool and Kanker lady kidnapped me 'cuz I can talk to animals and they were usin' me to go find animals for 'em cuz where there are animals, there are farms. I really miss Rusty... He's such a good dog... Prob'bly my only friend."</p><p>"Well, then... Good thing you're aboard the Vengeance Express!" Lucas grinned. "Now let's save that Patch of Heaven!"</p><p>Lucky Jack unhooked the train cars, and the train sped off into the desert after Alameda Slim.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The train whistle soon blew out smoke as it chooted.</p><p>"I've wanted to do that all my life!" Thor smiled to the others out of excitement.</p><p>"Good on ya, buddy!" Lionel chuckled as he hugged Thor.</p><p>"Cows rule!" Lucas exclaimed, until he saw the two bulls from earlier.</p><p>"Howdy, darlin'! Down here!" said one.</p><p>"Yeah! Look... look down! Hello there!" added the other.</p><p>"Oh, no!" Mrs. Calloway groaned in dismay.</p><p>"I got two words for you guys... cold shower!" shouted August.</p><p>"We don't have time for this nonsense!" said May. "We have a farm to save!"</p><p>"Well, maybe we can help you." said the bulls. "Maybe we can help each..." but their flirting was cut off when they smacked into a pole face-first.</p><p>"Bye! Come up and see us sometime!" waved Grace.</p><p>"Don't encourage them." replied Zylphia.</p><p>They soon rode past a water tower as another train was coming.</p><p>"Uh, guys, we got a problem?" Thor spoke up.</p><p>"What is it now?" Cherry rolled her eyes at him.</p><p>"There!" Thor pointed out.</p><p>"Oh!" Maggie panicked. "It's the Morning Express!"</p><p>"There's a switch up ahead!" Atticus told the others. "One of us should ride Buck and go get it. I think we can make it."</p><p>"I KNOW you can!" Cherry said, taking him off of the train to ride on Buck's back. "Just think of that adventure you had with Moo Montana, Dakota Dude, and the Cowlarado Kid!"</p><p>"Thanks, Cherry!" Atticus said before riding off on Buck's back with Lucky Jack coming with him.</p><p>"Go for it, dude," Lionel nodded. "We're, I say, we're a-counting on ya."</p><p>Atticus nodded and soon rode off with Buck and Lucky Jack.</p><p>"He wooore a blazin' saddle~..." Cherry soon sang as Atticus rode off in the distance. "He wore a shining star, He conquered fear and he conquered hate and he turned dark night into day for, He rode a blazing saddle a torch to light the way, When bad men come he's a man with a gun and Atticus was his name, yes, Atticus was his name, He rode a blazing saddle a torch to light the way~"</p><p>"Wow...that's mighty impressive, Miss." Lucas acknowledged.</p><p>"Huh? Oh, thanks..." Cherry said. "Guess it was a spur of the moment thing for me."</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, Atticus, Lucky Jack, and Buck were approaching the switch. Taking out a lasso, Atticus swung it and it whipped around the switch, then he pulled it to switch the tracks. The tracks then moved a bit.</p><p>"WHOA, boy!" Atticus soon told Buck, making the horse stop as he held onto the reins.</p><p>However, the lever soon pulled right off of the switch.</p><p>"Uh-oh." Atticus then mumbled.</p><p>Buck panicked and soon used Lucky Jack's peg leg, pushing the jack rabbit down to help fix the problem. Luckily, the team's train breezed right by the Morning Express, and nobody was hurt.</p><p>"See ya back at the farm, gang!" yelled Buck. "Good luck!"</p><p>Lucky Jack chuckled. "This happens all the time!" he remarked.</p><p>Atticus smiled to Lucky Jack and Buck as the others were able to ride away on to Patch of Heaven.</p><p>"Road hogs!" The Morning Express conductor complained.</p><p>"This is it... The final countdown." Cherry told the others from inside of the train.</p><p>"The last round-up, even!" Lucas added. "So let's make it a GOOD one!"</p><p>"There it is!" exclaimed Grace. "Home and hearth!" added Mrs. Calloway.</p><p>"And a holy hallelujah of a curve!" added Maggie as the track was curving.</p><p>"Oh, quick, the brakes!" gasped May as she reached for the lever, but Lucas shook his head.</p><p>"No time for that!" he replied.</p><p>"But won't we jump the tracks?" asked Grace. "We are makin' our own tracks!" replied Tony.</p><p>Mrs. Calloway dipped her hat. "This is going to be messy!"</p><p>"We gotta try it!" Tony told her.</p><p>"Oh, I hope you dears know what you're doing." Mrs. Calloway said nervously.</p><p>The group soon yelled out as they jumped the tracks in the train.</p><hr/><p>The auction was going on as "Yancy O'Dell" was going to buy Patch of Heaven as Pearl decided to leave, but luckily, help was on the way, and they all began to feel something.</p><p>"It's... It's not possible!" Daisy-Kay gasped to herself.</p><p>Suddenly, the train screeched in behind the auction, sending everyone into a panicked frenzy.</p><p>'Yancy' waved away the dust. "What's the idea of crashing your train on my property?" he asked, before his eyes widened in shock. "It can't be!"</p><p>"Oh, but it CAN and <em>is</em>, bucko," Lucas remarked, as Maggie, Mrs. Calloway, and Grace stepped off the train.</p><p>Thor soon appeared behind Yancy, covering his eyes with a smirk. "Guess who?"</p><p>Pearl looked concerned over what was going on.</p><p>"Ready for a showdown, buddy?" Thor smirked to Yancy. "Don't think I don't know who you are. I'm smarter than your Willy Brothers put together."</p><p>"That's... True..." Atticus had to admit. "Yeah! Thor, you ARE smarter than them! And you're bigger and stronger too! But... I think this is more of Lucas's fight, and maybe Maggie's too."</p><p>Lucas winked to the others. "Thanks, gang." he smiled, before turning back with a serious expression. And on that, he and the cows charged at Yancy, before he pulled out a gun. "Hold it right there!" he snapped, making the cows stop in their tracks.</p><p>"Piggies, it's time to open up a can of whoop-hide!" said Jeb.</p><p>And before Yancy could shoot the cows, his gun was knocked from his hand by Jeb's cans, which the pigs were helping launch at him.</p><p>"Yeah! Get 'em!" Thor laughed from that.</p><p>Yancy glared as he was hit by the cans as the piglets helped out Jeb for once. Jeb then rolled over a barrel before the chicks soon ran over, climbing up into the man's clothes before tickling him and a piglet hit his face before one of the chicks crowed right in his ear, nearly deafening him. Yancy tried to shake them off before he soon rolled on a barrel that Jeb rolled over and he crashed into a fence, splatting in some mud.</p><p>"You wanna get nuts? Let's get nuts!" Audrey glared before pecking at him with the other hens.</p><p>Yancy was suddenly launched into the air by two pigs, and then Grace and Maggie kicked him, sending him flying into the train funnel.</p><hr/><p>Lucas then pulled down the train whistle, and the resulting wind blew off Yancy's disguise.</p><p>The Sheriff gasped. "It's Alameda Slim!" he exclaimed. "And Daisy-Kay Kanker, too!"</p><p>"Y'all think you've won?" asked Slim. "It ain't over till the fat man sings!" And he began to yodel again as Maggie swung her bell off her neck, and it shot into the air just as her mind gave way to the hypnosis.</p><p>Seeing the bell fly up, Grace leapt and kicked the bell, sending it flying into Alameda Slim's mouth, stopping his yodeling.</p><p>"Heh. That's an improvement." Tony chuckled as he stood with Zylphia.</p><p>"Alameda Slim and Daisy-Kay Kanker, you're under arrest." The Sheriff glared as he soon lassoed the two villains.</p><p>"Nobody messes with Pearl's girls!" Grace smiled.</p><p>"Say, girls, got milk?" Buck asked as he came by with Atticus and Lucky Jack.</p><p>"Buck!" The group replied.</p><p>"Just kidding." Buck smiled sheepishly.</p><p>Slim and Daisy-Kay were soon thrown into the back of the wagon, and carted off to prison.</p><p>"Take 'em away, boys," said the Sheriff. "Hope ya like stripes."</p><p>"Sheriff?" asked Lucas. "Tony here happened to have found someone while we was helpin' catch Slim and Daisy-Kay. Someone you might recognize, I reckon."</p><p>"Yes'um?" The Sheriff replied.</p><p>Zylphia soon came out with a smile.</p><p>"Oh! My darlin' little Zylphia!" The Sheriff gasped.</p><p>"Uncle Sam!" Zylphia beamed before running up to the man and hugging him.</p><p>"Ah'm so glad to see ya again!" The Sheriff exclaimed, before taking out a sackful of money. "Pearl, your cows can't do much with Slim's reward money...think you can find some use for it?"</p><p>Pearl's eyes gleamed. "Whoo-eee! My farm is saved!" she cheered, and the townspeople came out to join her in celebrating.</p><p>"Congratulations, Ms. Pearl!" Zylphia smiled.</p><p>"Thank ya kindly, sweetheart." Pearl smiled back to her.</p><p>Everyone soon celebrated after another successful adventure.</p><p>"My hero~" Zylphia smiled to Tony before pulling him down to her height and soon gave him a kiss.</p><p>Tony beamed from the kiss before his ankle popped up before hugging her.</p><p>"Way to go, Tony," smiled Lucas. "Now we all got someone." he glanced at Clementine.</p><p>"Aww... Shucks." Tony blushed.</p><p>Clementine seemed to smirk to Lucas before winking. Lucas blushed as he dug his shoe into the ground.</p><p>Grace smiled all around, but soon saw someone missing. "Where's Maggie?"</p><p>Mrs. Calloway soon looked around with her to see that someone was indeed missing.</p><p>"She gone, man... But why?" Cherry asked softly.</p><p>"I can't believe she left," sighed Grace as Lucas sniffled, wiping some tears from his eyes.</p><p>"I'm gonna miss her." replied the boy.</p><p>"So shall I, my friends," agreed Mrs. Calloway. "Her brash manner...her bullheaded-ness...she risked her life for us, and who are we but strangers? We were privileged to know her...she was a cow like no other."</p><p>"A truly fine bovine," Lucas agreed. "The best non-human friend I've ever had."</p><p>"Right down to her appalling bodily eruptions." Mrs. Calloway sighed.</p><p>Maggie was then shown to be right next to her before burping. "Ahh, that was good!"</p><p>"I think you mean 'Excuse me'." Cherry muttered.</p><p>"Maggie!" Lucas beamed.</p><p>"Maggie, you're back!" Mo gasped.</p><p>"But we thought you were runnin' away forever." Clementine commented.</p><p>"I was just having one for the road when I heard all the nice stuff you guys were saying about me," Maggie smiled to the others. "You know, maybe I could hang around a while."</p><p>"How about forever?" Grace suggested.</p><p>"Well, it's your call, Calloway," replied Maggie. "Is this barnyard big enough for the both of us?"</p><p>Mrs. Calloway smirked. "Only if you let me wear the hat."</p><p>"Yee-haw!" whooped Grace.</p><p>"Come on, move your hides, girls." said Maggie, walking over to the barn. "Last one to the barn sleeps standing up!"</p><p>"Know what?" asked Lionel. "I say we <em>all </em>get in there to be part of the photo!"</p><p>"Aw, sure!" replied August. "Couldn't hurt!"</p><p>Everyone soon gathered all together for a picture.</p><p>"Okay, everyone, big smiles!" The photographer smiled as Pearl rounded them all up together.</p><p>"Right here, May, y'all got the prettiest smile." August blushed.</p><p>"Aww, thank ya, August." May smiled.</p><p>And as everyone smiled, the photographer took the picture.</p><hr/><p>"So it was that Alameda Slim, the most notorious and feared cattle rustler was apprehended and unmasked by five brave-hearted young kids, and three unusual dairy cows." said Lucky Jack, reading from the newspaper a few days later...until Jeb started eating the paper. "Hey! Dagnabit, Jeb! How many times I got to tell you to wait your turn?!"</p><p>"How many times have I got to tell you to get out of my barrel?!" retorted the goat, before they started beating each other up.</p><p>"Oh, brother." Clementine sighed to that as she passed by, working with Tony to keep the farm together until the others would come back from the state fair.</p><p>"It's so nice that Jeb finally found a friend." Audrey sighed happily to that.</p><p>"More like a new enemy if you ask me." Clementine smirked.</p><p>"Here they come, everybody!" One of the piglets spoke up.</p><p>"Oh, goody!" Tony beamed.</p><p>Eventually, Pearl was coming with Maggie, Grace, and Mrs. Calloway who all had blue ribbons.</p><p>"Yippee!" whooped August and Lucas as they danced around.</p><p>The duck, pig, and rooster walked out, also wearing blue ribbons.</p><p>"Well done!" congratulated Mrs. Calloway, as Maggie chuckled.</p><p>"Well, hi ho, ladies!" said a familiar voice...and it was those two bulls from earlier. "Hey, Barry, three queens, two kings, hmm?"</p><p>"Full house!" agreed Barry, as he kicked the door to the side, revealing Junior the buffalo.</p><p>"And the joker is wild." he added as they came in.</p><p>Lucas shrugged as he took out his guitar. "Darlin', I swear...Once you been there...There ain't a view, beneath the blue, that could ever compare~" he sang as he winked at Clementine. "The only thing missing...is you as my guest~on a little Patch of Heaven, way out west~!"</p><p>Clementine smiled as she sat close beside him from his singing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I guess that wraps things up." Cherry said to her group.</p><p>"That was fun!" Thor beamed. "I love a good adventure!"</p><p>"We know." Atticus smirked playfully.</p><p>"Most definitely one for the books," Lionel smiled. "And definitely better than a lot of folks give it credit for!"</p><p>"I know I had some fun," Mo smiled back to them. "I guess we'll let them take it from here."</p><p>Everyone nodded in agreement.</p><p>"Well, I gotta say, it's been fun," Lucas smiled. "We'll be mighty sorry to see you go!"</p><p>"It was certain'y... Interesting," Clementine added. "Hope ya get home safely."</p><p>"Yup." August added, reminiscent of Big Mac.</p><p>"Thanks for having us," Mo smiled. "It was pretty cool to meet you all."</p><p>"Ah reckon we could say the same," agreed May.</p><p>"In fact, to remember this little adventure, I'll give you all one of these." Lionel replied as he handed each group member an odd-looking device.</p><p>"What're these?" asked Tony.</p><p>"Communication devices," replied Lionel. "In case you get into any super-tough situations, you can use 'em to contact us or come to our dimension!"</p><p>"Thank ya kindly," replied Lucas. "We'll wear 'em with pride! And here...you can have this." he handed the group the photo that had been taken a few days ago.</p><p>"Heh... This'll look great for my scrapbook." Cherry said, taking a look at the photograph.</p><p>"Well, happy trails, y'all!" Clementine smiled as the group waved. "Take care!"</p><p>"You too!" the group replied as they began to spark with electric energy.</p><hr/><p>They were soon taken away as another adventure had come to an end.</p><p>"Boy, that sure was somethin'!" Thor beamed, using a Wild West accent now.</p><p>"Yeah, it really <em>was</em>, wasn't it?" replied Mo. "I wonder if Patch and the others had as much fun as we did?"</p><p>"I hope they did," Atticus said. "I hate to leave them out, but... Two-Tone DID wanna have some time alone with Furrball."</p><p>Lionel shrugged. "That's fair. Besides, we can just tell them about it ourselves!" he replied.</p><p>They soon came back home after their newest adventure.</p><p>Thor soon yawned and stretched before falling in the middle of the floor, making the room shake a bit before he seemed to fall asleep.</p><p>"Is he seriously going to sleep now?" Cherry glanced. "...Weird."</p><p>"Well, I can't say I blame him," Lionel replied. "That big adventure must've really knocked the wind from his sails."</p><p>Drell was heard chuckling as he soon walked in to see them. "That boy always had a lot of energy."</p><p>"Oh! Hi, sir..." Cherry said, a bit nervously.</p><p>"That was quite an adventure, huh?" Drell asked them. "Cherry, that was pretty good thinking on your part to make Atticus think about the time with The Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa when riding on Buck."</p><p>"Oh... Thanks... I thought that would help." Cherry said sheepishly.</p><p>"Well, it sure came in handy for the big climax!" Lionel replied. "Got any more missions on the roster...at least, for when we're fully rested and rejuvenated?"</p><p>"Hmm... Let me see... You can all sit down right now, let me just check my list." Drell replied.</p><hr/><p>The group soon went to sit down on the couch and Cherry put a pillow under Thor as he knocked himself out, feeling really wore out.</p><p>"Nice to know that regardless of where we go, we've got each other's backs." smiled Mo.</p><p>"Yeah." Cherry and Atticus agreed, with Atticus smiling back to Mo.</p><p>"Always somethin', huh?" Drell replied to them as he checked his list. "Do you guys know anything about 'Borrowers'?"</p><p>The group paused, a bit unsure at first.</p><p>"They're very, very, VERY tiny people who live secretly in the walls and floors of a typical household, borrowing items from humans to survive." Drell explained.</p><p>Lionel pondered. "I think I read about them once..." he replied. "But I can't quite say for certain. Why do you ask?"</p><p>"Well, a young boy named Shō is about to learn a lot about them." Drell informed.</p><p>"Really now?" Cherry asked.</p><p>"Yes, really now." Drell told her.</p><p>"Interesting." Atticus replied.</p><p>"I thought you might say that," Drell said to them. "I just realized you guys hadn't met Borrowers yet. Could've sworn I had it on my mind that time Darla rode on The Polar Express."</p><p>"Well, better late than never, right?" asked Lionel.</p><p>"Eh, I suppose so," Drell replied. "I'll take you over there."</p><p>"Alrighty," Lionel replied. "But we're gonna need to wait a while... At least an hour or two."</p><p>"Hmm... All right..." Drell said to them. "You DO look a bit wore out."</p><p>"You're actually thinking of us... Thank you..." Mo smiled wearily.</p><p>Thor soon yelled out before shooting up with wide eyes. "I didn't eat all the popcorn!" he then blinked before falling flat again with his face in the pillow given to him.</p><p>"Nap it up, bud," Lionel patted him on the head. "I reckon you've earned it."</p><p>"I guess that kid needs a little more sleep." Drell said.</p><p>"Yeah, he told me how he had to take Magic Classes at night since he's busy with regular classes and football practice during the day." Atticus replied.</p><p>"That's got to be quite physically taxing on him..." Mo noted.</p><p>"Oh, it is," Drell replied. "I just wish I could get him to not sleep in his day classes."</p><p>"Yeah, me too." Atticus agreed.</p><p>"Well, taking classes during the night will do that to ya." Lionel shrugged.</p><p>"Fair enough, I guess," Drell said before pulling Thor away. "I better take him home before my sister worries."</p><p>"Alrighty then," Atticus replied. "See you in a little while."</p><p>Drell waved as he soon went upstairs in the linen closet to back into the Supernatural Realm.</p><p>"Yeah, he went in the closet," Atticus said to Lionel. "That's another way into the other realm. Hilda and Zelda told us when we first met them and Sabrina."</p><p>Lionel nodded. "Got it."</p><p>"Let's get some snacks." Mo said.</p><p>"Yeah, I am a little hungry now." Cherry agreed.</p><hr/><p>And so they all went to the kitchen to get some snacks.</p><p>"I could eat just about anything." Cherry said hungrily.</p><p>"Me too, but, uh, remember to hold the meat." Mo replied.</p><p>"Will do, Mo." nodded Lionel.</p><hr/><p>Patch, Two-Tone, and Furrball soon came to see them.</p><p>"There you guys are," Atticus said. "Did you leave?"</p><p>"Yeah, it turns out my dream about being in the big city meant something, along with a bunch of other pets there." Patch replied.</p><p>"Boy, was <em>that </em>a big adventure!" Furrball added. "Definitely one for the books!"</p><p>"Ya don't say," Cherry said. "What happened?"</p><p>"Let's just say there's another secret life of pets you guys don't know about." Two-Tone winked.</p><p>"I guess we BOTH had adventures that we're gonna tell each other about." Atticus remarked.</p><p>"Sounds like it," Patch smiled. "Why don't you tell us yours first, and then we'll tell you ours?"</p><p>"Eh, fair enough, I suppose." Cherry shrugged.</p><p>And so, as they made their snacks, the group explained to their animal companions about the adventure that they'd had. What happened to Patch, Furrball, and Two-Tone though would be a story for another day. But for now... HAPPY TRAILS!</p><p>The End</p>
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